Mumbai: A mangrove and coastline clean-up drive at Carter Road on Saturday saw volunteers remove nearly 250 kg of marine litter, including plastic debris, bottles and discarded bean bags, from the shoreline.The drive, held on March 14, was organised by Environment Life Foundation with support from Jotun India Pvt Ltd and the Mangrove Foundation.More than 35 volunteers participated in the initiative. Among the waste collected were large quantities of thermocol balls scattered across the shore, which volunteers said took considerable time to gather due to their small size and wide spread.Representatives of the Mangrove Foundation appreciated the effort and reiterated their support for initiatives aimed at protecting mangroves and coastal ecosystems.Dharmesh Barai, founder of Environment Life Foundation, said that the ecological importance of mangroves is not fully realised even to this day. “Rapid development is taking place, but mangroves are often cut without understanding their ecological value. These silent soldiers protect our coastlines and biodiversity. While planting mangroves is important, the least we can do is avoid polluting our surroundings,” he said. Barai added that a large portion of waste reaching the sea travels through drains, rivers and creeks, urging authorities to act. “We request the newly elected Mayor to take bold steps to stop waste before it reaches creeks and eventually the ocean,” he said.Madhvi Marathe, marketing head at Jotun India Pvt Ltd, said the drive helped participants better understand the role of mangroves. “After learning about the importance of mangroves through this drive, we feel motivated to contribute towards protecting this precious ecosystem,” she said.
