Marina Beach shores littered with waste post Pongal holidays

Marina Beach in Chennai faces cleanliness issues due to food and plastic waste, lack of awareness, and insufficient dustbins.

As people flocked to Marina Beach to unwind during the Pongal holidays, the sands were difficult to walk on, marred by food and plastic waste, diminishing the scenic beauty of the seaside.

Suresh Viswanathan (51), a resident of Triplicane, said there was an unusually high turnout at Marina Beach on Kaanum Pongal day, on January 17 and subsequent days. He claimed, “Around 40 years ago, outings were infrequent. In the last five to 10 years, they have become more common. Thousands of people gather, and throw waste in the open due to a lack of awareness. Awareness programmes about the hazards of open dumping are held at the beach in Besant Nagar, but not here. Additionally, there are insufficient dustbins.”

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) noted a decline in Marina Beach’s cleanliness ranking in April 2023. The rating dropped from a perfect five to 3.92 out of five, allegedly due to a shortage of sand-sweeping machines.

Mr. Viswanathan asserted, “Volunteer groups and conservancy workers often participate in waste collection efforts. However, the issue recurs after every festive season. Dogs and cows are attracted due to the smell. Moreover, both peanut vendors and food shop workers frequently bury leftovers in the beach sand, attracting animals. Machines were used about seven years ago to clean the beach, but that practice seems to have declined.”

In October 2023, a private real estate firm reported that over 200 volunteers gathered 700 kilograms of waste, including plastics, glass, and non-biodegradable materials from Marina Beach. In September 2023, the GCC cleared 190 tonnes of waste from Marina and Foreshore Estate during a cleanup drive.

While promoting a campaign on source segregation before Pongal, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan had stated that 42 workers have been deployed to clear waste from the beach shores. However, he emphasised the need for public cooperation to maintain cleanliness in public spaces.

Chennai city ranked 199 among 446 cities in the Swachh Survekshan-2023 Rankings.