Leading the effort were Supriya Sahu IAS – Additional Chief Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate Change & Forests) and Silai Zaki – Australia’s Consul-General, who were joined by over 50 volunteers in cleaning the beach. V.Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy IAS – Additional Commissioner (Health), Srinivasan – Corporation Zonal Officer (Zone 13), Ignacio Albert Gleiser – Managing Director of Urbaser Sumeet, along with Urbaser Sumeet CEO Mahmood Sait and the senior management team, enthusiastically participated, highlighting their commitment to sustainability.

“Chennai has been making commendable strides in waste management, and we hope this initiative motivates people to realise they can make a difference to bring out the best of Chennai,” said Ms. Silai Zaki, Australia’s Consul-General.

On Feb.11, the wheelchair-accessible wooden pathway was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin at Elliot’s Beach.

The idea to set up this pathway was mooted way back in 2016 on World Disability Day, when the then Deputy Commissioner-Works, K.S.Kandaswamy, IAS, visited Vidya Sagar (a disability services and support organisation in Kotturpuram) and held discussions with the students over there. When asked which place they would like to visit, most of them suggested the beach. At that time, there was no provision for people with disabilities to visit the beach as it was not accessible by wheelchairs.

The Disability Rights Alliance Tamilnadu (DRA TN) team also felt that it was the duty of the government to make public places (including beaches) accessible for people with disabilities. Thus, they met the GCC Commissioner, who set up a group of officials for this purpose. They also met Raj Cherubal, CEO of Chennai Smart City, and local community members, including environmentalists, vendors, fishermen groups, residents and beach users in this regard.

Their efforts bore fruit, and the first pathway was set up at Marina Beach in 2022, following which it was agreed to make Elliot’s Beach wheelchair accessible.

There were some initial hiccups regarding the exact location of the pathway. While the officials suggested it be put up at the Ashtalakshmi Temple beach, DRA TN preferred to have the ramp at the most happening location on the beach. It was finally decided to put it up on the main road. 

Accordingly, the plan was put into action, and a wooden open pathway with railings was constructed with a beach viewing deck in full compliance with CRZ rules. This has become a big hit among beachgoers. There are a few wooden benches on both sides of the pathway where people can sit. 

The DRA TN team wanted this pathway to be an inclusive path so that apart from people with disabilities, even elderly people, children and pregnant women can use it. There are beach wheelchairs that people with disabilities can make use of, and they are kept in a storage container on the road, outside the path. The wheelchairs are fitted with special floating wheels that can even go on water.

Special parking slots have been reserved (5 nos) for the vehicles of people with disabilities. DRA TN is now working on toilets to be put up in an area closest to the pathway. Work will begin on this shortly.

The next project will be to make Thiruvanmiyur Beach wheelchair accessible, and a tender for the same is said to have been issued.

More than 20 Rotary clubs along with 200 NSS volunteers from Ethiraj College, Loyola College and St.Thomas Mount formed a human chain holding placards and banners with messages on why and how to keep our environment/ beaches clean and protect marine life.

Dr Vaneeta Agarwal, Director NSS, University of Madras, chief guest, spoke on the importance of having litter-free beaches, and the need to create awareness of the effects of littering on marine life.

Rtn Sarada Ramani – Chairperson Community Services (Rotary District 3234), Rtn Uma Maheshwari – Chairperson Environment (District 3234) and Rtn Krishnamurthy – Madras Besant Nagar encouraged all to continue spreading the message of ‘Clean Chennai Green Chennai’.

The founders said, “We saw that many students of our age tend to exhibit less concern for our environment, partly due to our overall cultural prioritisation of academics over growing up to be a well-rounded citizen. We hope that, through this club, we will inspire our peers and others to do their part in protecting our environment.”

The club has frequently collaborated with the Annets Club of RCMC (Rotary Club of Madras Central), to build their volunteer base, to clean up the beaches of Chennai. The club is currently 70 members strong (mainly 10th and 11th graders) and we’re looking to grow further. Check out more about them on their Instagram handle: @shore.guardians. Email: shoreguardians.chennai@gmail.com.

On the late evening of Dec.30, a group of friends, members of the civic body Spark and residents got together at the Karl Schmidt Memorial, at Elliots Beach to pay tributes to the person who died saving a lady from drowning. 

The landmark monument has stood the test of time for 93 years, and residents hope that it holds for 7 more years, post which, it might be taken over by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for its better upkeep. 

As the group stood inside the memorial to pay respects, scores waited outside to absorb a piece of it to make it a part of their memory. “It is ironic that people have zero interest in preserving this monument, which is a symbol of Elliot’s beach. Photography enthusiasts take pictures of it in the mornings, and the public takes selfies in the evenings. Alas, the only benefit the monument derives from the fame is: defacing and looting,” sighs Kamakshi Subramaniyan, Co-founder of Spark.

As Dr.T.D.Babu, Co-founder of Spark gives a tour of the memorial to the group, with pain he points out the broken EB panel, stolen water pump, light timer and focus lights, vanished security booth, illegible plaques and unkempt garden. Defacings and cracks on the wall add to his disappointment. 

The group lays a wreath and holds electric lamps in respect. A small discussion ensues on what the public can do to save it, but outside the memorial, groups stand wondering if they will be allowed to take selfies.

“Despite its restoration in 2018, with subsequent neglect and vandalism, how can we expect a memorial to stand unhinged?” wondered Dr Babu. With hopes that the memorial doesn’t become a memory in itself, the group disbursed, pledging to do all they can to ensure its restoration.

A brief history of the memorial as recollected by Dr.Babu:

The walkathon, themed ‘Comfort for Dignity Life: Step by Step, Together We Care,’ was flagged off from near Besant Avenue and concluded at Aavin Booth.

Palliative care is a crucial aspect of providing comfort, dignity, and peace during the last stages of life for seniors. Athulya Senior Care aims to create hope in the world by actively contributing to this noble cause. The participating nurses not only walked the path but also shared valuable insights about palliative care and its significance in providing a peaceful and dignified life for seniors.

The event aimed to unite communities, caregivers, and individuals in the common goal of enhancing the quality of life for seniors. By participating in the walkathon, Athulya Senior Care and Rotary International District – 3232 hope to inspire others to join the cause and make a difference in the lives of seniors in need.

NIEPMD observed the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ from Sept.15 – Oct 2 and organised various programs viz. Swachhata pledge, clean drive activities, awareness program on personal hygiene for girls with disabilities and human chain formation. 

On Oct.1 and 2, NIEPMD organised a cleaning drive at the Kelambakkam bus stand and Muttukadu Boat House. Rani Ellappan, President, Kelambakkam Panchayat inaugurated the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ activities in the presence of Dr.Nachiketa Rout, Director, NIEPMD and other dignitaries. As part of the awareness about sanitation, hygiene and cleanliness activities, the HRD students of NIEPMD performed flash mobs, skits and aerobics, and participated in cleaning the Kelambakkam bus stand.

IIT Madras organises cleanliness drive at Elliot’s Beach

IIT Madras organised a cleanliness drive ‘Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta’ at Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar from 10 am to 11 am on Oct.1.

The drive was conducted as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his birth anniversary (Oct.2). Around 150 students, faculty and staff took part in this initiative, undertaken as part of the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign. Officials from Chennai Corporation facilitated the drive and administered the Swachhata pledge to the IIT Madras participants.

Lauding the students on taking this up, Prof. R. Sarathi, Dean (Planning), IIT Madras, said, “The ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ initiative on the theme of ‘Garbage Free India’ is a collective social responsibility. IIT Madras is proud to be part of this. The student’s involvement in this noble task is the best way to ensure successful implementation of the goal of ‘Garbage Free India’.  Let us chant the slogan ‘Let’s go Green’ to make Mother Earth very clean.”

India’s first climate-neutral sport, the SPOGOMI World Cup 2023 – India Stage, took place at Elliot’s beach on July 9, at 8 am. This unique event, organised by ViDHAI Recycling and CIRQT, in collaboration with The Nippon Foundation, aimed to create clean and comfortable cities while having fun.

SPOGOMI, a sport originated in Japan, ingeniously transforms litter cleanup into a thrilling competitive event. SPOGOMI originated from Japan where ‘spo’ means sports and ‘Gomi hiroi’ means litter gathering. As part of the ‘Umi-to-Nippon Project – Change For The Blue’, initiated by The Nippon Foundation, the SPOGOMI World Cup 2023 – India Stage was designed to engage participants in a fun and engaging way, while fostering a sense of responsibility towards our ocean.

People from various parts of the country joined this mega beach cleaning event to promote sustainability. Thirty teams consisting of three individuals per team, of all ages, participated in the competition. The team collecting the maximum amount of trash in one hour is the winner.

The event was presided over by the Masa Yugi Saga – Consul General of Japan, Takayasu Udagawa, Program manager overlooking the SPOGOMI Word Cup in 20 countries, and Sudhakar Durai, Executive Director, SOLiDPRO. 

The team of Amrit, Madhushudhan and Sharun (Team 24) from Chennai won the India Qualifiers by scoring 6500 points, while the second-place team had a score of 2800 points. Around 400 Kg of segregated trash was picked up in a 60 minutes battle. Team 24 are now set to represent India in the World Cup in Japan in November 2023.

 The winners of the Art Competition conducted by Vidhai Recycling on the theme of Air Pollution were also awarded by the chief guests.

“The SPOGOMI World Cup provides people from any part of the world, in all walks of life, and any age, with a chance to actively contribute to the reduction of ocean debris,” said Divya P.Venkat, Founder at ViDHAI Recycling. “By participating in this sport, individuals gained awareness about the impact of littering, the importance of ocean conservation, and the significant role they can play in protecting marine life and fragile ecosystems,” she added.

ViDHAI Recycling is a leading organisation committed to environmental sustainability and the reduction of ocean debris. The Nippon Foundation is a philanthropic organisation at the forefront of addressing global issues, with a particular focus on marine-related challenges.

DGP C.Sylendra Babu, inaugurated the Drone Police Unit at Elliot’s beach on June 29, for crowd management and law enforcement, in the presence of Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal. 

The unit, set up at a cost of Rs.3.6 crores, is equipped with a total of 9 drones of various types: Quick Response Drone (6 no.), Long Range VTOL Drone (2 no.) and Heavy List Payload Drone (1 no.). The police constables have also been specifically trained to operate the drones.

The camera fitted drones will help the police in scaling and managing the crowd at large, for example, during an agitation or demonstration or during festivals / events. The police aim to monitor the crowd, keep a watch on anti-social elements and take necessary action accordingly.

The drones will also be useful to keep a watch on people venturing into the sea and take action thereon. “The heavy weight drones will be used to transport items from one place to another, for example, incase of a drowning in the sea, the heavy weight drones can be used to transport floats / life buoys,” explained Premanand Sinha, IPS, Additional Commissioner of Police.

The drones will also be used to check on traffic jams – find the source of the jam, resolve it and work on remedial action thereafter. The drones are equipped with built-in artificial intelligence (AI), thermal object detection capabilities for making night patrol more efficient, and the ability to capture number plates for better law enforcement. can be operated up to a distance of 5-10 km from the ground station.

“The Drone Unit will prove to be essential in decreasing the crime rate, and if crime happens, it will help in identifying the act and the criminals immediately. With the drone’s capability in identifying car numbers and face recognition, it will aid investigation and resolution of the crime quicker,” said the DGP.

https://twitter.com/chennaipolice_/status/1674350041413357568

Employees from NLCIL regional office, Chennai enthusiastically participated in the initiative and collected litter, debris, plastic waste including other pollutants from the beach sand, segregated them and handed over to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Urbaser Sumeet team. On this occasion, K.Prabhu Kishore, Executive Director (PR) – NLC India Limited and Dr.T.G.Srinivasan, Health Education Officer – GCC and Nodal Officer – Swachh Bharat Mission, Chennai were present. 

“The initiative was aimed at inculcating a small sense of contribution towards the welfare of Chennai city as NLCIL believes in giving equal importance to Planet, People and Profit,” said a statement from NLCIL. Nearly 200 Kgs of waste was collected and handed over.