The Association for Biodiversity Conservation and Research (ABC) in association with NSS units, Fakir Mohan University (FMU), organised a beach cleaning programme recently in a bid to safeguard marine flora and fauna along the Baleswar coast.
As many as 70 volunteers from of ABC and FMU along with wildlife activists and other stakeholders participating in it cleaned a huge quantity of litters from the beach over a four-hour exercise so as to make the site a safe breeding ground for marine species, especially the horseshoe crab.
The participants included intellectuals, environmentalists and educationists. They undertook the exercise in Chandipur and Balaramgadi area.
“It is an effort to facilitate the nesting of marine organism like horseshoe crab, turtle and associated marine organisms having ecological importance in Chandipur beach and nearby estuaries .The drive would boost eco-tourism in the region,” said a marine biologist and conservationist at ABC Sidharth Pati. He is also coordinating the programme on the conservation of the India horseshoe crab supported by the Rufford Foundation, UK.
Head of Environmental Science Department FMU Suryendu Kumar Dey, who took a lead role in inspiring the team, told about the importance of the valuable marine creatures and their role to maintain the marine ecosystem.
Siddheswar College Reader in Zoology Gobinda Chandra Biswal pointed out that the breeding of horseshoe crab and sea turtle was hindered by the piles of garbage, plastics and nets on the beach.
“All should rise to the occasion and a collective effort is required to create awareness about the protection of the marine environment,” said Biswal.
“I always strive for protection of the marine species through my art,” said a key member of team artist Kesu Das, adding that this was the second annual beach cleaning of the team.