The last day of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2022 began with a cleaning drive at Miramar Beach. Organised by the Divyaj Foundation, and Bhamla Foundation in collaboration with the Goa Government, ‘Clean-A-Thon’ is an initiative to instil the values of keeping our surroundings clean. It extends not only to the residents of the state of Goa, but also to the tourists.
The event was flagged off with a beach cleaning drive at Miramar beach today morning. It was led by the Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod P Sawant, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Amruta Fadnavis – the founder of Divyaj Foundation, Bollywood actors Jackie Shroff, Karan Kundra, and choreographer Remo D’Souza.
At flagging off the event, Dr. Sawant said: “We keep our beaches clean, but this initiative aims to reach out to tourists too. We can keep Goa clean and green only when the tourists, who constitute a very big part of Goan population, also join in the efforts. We are a blue economy, keeping river and ocean water clean is very important to us, hence I request everyone to not pollute the water.” He further went on to say, “The Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign, which was launched in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, aims to keep the 104 km long Goan coastline clean. Students and NGOs have always participated in these missions, and now when the tourists join in, our objective of cleanliness will be achieved to the full extent.”
He shared that his government’s environmental goals are not just limited to beaches, but also extend to highways, and municipalities also. In this regard he said, “We have, and continue to be, committed to a clean and green Goa.”
This Clean-A-Thon initiative not only aims to spread awareness, but also initiate action. Which is evident from the act of cleaning carried out by attended dignitaries and volunteers themselves at the beach this morning.
On the occasion, Fadnavis said, “Goa has a culture of keeping its surroundings clean, but it is important to revise the lessons that we know, hence this initiative aims to remind everyone not to litter, so we can have a healthy marine life, and leave a better planet for our children.” She said that the motto of the campaign is, “Na gandgi karunga, na karne dunga.” This initiative she hoped would make Goa the tourism capital of India.
Various NGOs, Gram Panchayats, and Municipalities which have made remarkable strides in cleanliness initiatives in Goa, were also felicitated at the event. This marked the spirit of the initiative, which urged not just the government, but also students, NGOs, and tourists to do their bit to keep Goa clean.
A street play presented by the young boys from the Canacona centre of Bal Bhavan Goa, captured the imagination of the celebrities and they also joined the action.
