Berhampur: The state govt on Saturday launched a week-long campaign, Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar, at Gopalpur-on-Sea in Ganjam district, ahead of the International Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept 19. The Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar initiative of the ministry of earth science was launched five years ago.Additional chief secretary (science and technology department) Chitra Arumugam unveiled the campaign with a massive clean-up at Gopalpur beach, also joined by director of science and technology department, Pooja Mishra, and Ganjam collector Keerthi Vasan V.Besides the local people, several students from Berhampur University; IISER, Berhampur; Gopalpur College and others joined the beach clean-up drive, jointly organised by the science and technology department and Ganjam district administration.During the campaign, rallies and competitions among students in the coastal block will be held to create awareness about keeping the beach clean.Of 575km beach in the state, 62.9km is in Ganjam district. As Ganjam has such a vast coastal region, the district needs to take an important role in keeping beaches clean and safe ocean, said Arumugam. “The beach is not merely to enjoy; it is also associated with life and livelihood, for which its protection is essential. The govt has stressed the development of the blue economy and economic condition of the fishermen community of the state,” she said.The govt has launched Odisha Marine Biotechnology Research & Innovation Corridor (Ombric), involving different educational institutions, including Berhampur University and IISER, to contribute to the blue economy.Arumugam said the Berhampur University has been assigned marine biodiversity mapping and metabolite characterisation of marine algae, seaweeds, fishes and other sea animals under the Ombric.
