Following the Ganpati Visarjan, Vivekanand Education Society (VES), in collaboration with Vanashakti, an organisation working towards environmental conservation and sustainable development, organised a beach clean-up drive at Dadar Chowpatty on Sep 27. The initiative brought together over 500 students from VES and the NSS team of VES, along with 40 teachers and representatives from various VES institutes. As part of the drive, volunteers collected over 2000 kg of waste from the beach.
In another instance of an act of community responsibility, over 150 students of K.P.B Hinduja College of Commerce (Hinduja College), also took up a post-Visarjan beach clean-up initiative at Dadar Chowpatty. These students and volunteers joined hands with Mumbai University, BMC, Maharashtra State and Coastal Guard to help restore the shoreline and encourage greater awareness around keeping Mumbai’s beaches clean. The drive was carried out as part of the wider National Service Scheme -NSS-led initiative undertaken in collaboration with the University of Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Coastal Guard. Students actively participated and covered several metres of the shoreline, with volunteers spending the day collecting and segregating waste along the beach, helping restore the shore following the immersion festivities. The activity included clearing flower offerings, plastic and other decorative materials, cloth and post-Visarjan debris, with several bags of material collected.
Dr. Navin M. Punjabi, Principal, Hinduja College, said, “Our responsibility as an educational institution is not limited to preparing students for their professional lives. We also want them to understand the role they can play as responsible citizens. Plastic and debris left on our beaches don’t stay there they eventually make their way into the ocean, where they harm marine life and ecosystems that are already under stress from a warming planet. Drives like this help students see the direct link between everyday civic action and larger environmental challenges, while giving them the opportunity to take meaningful action in their own city.”
Participating VES institutions included VES Polytechnic, VES Business School, VES College of Law, VES College of Pharmacy, VES Institute of Technology, VES College of Architecture, VES College of Arts, Science & Commerce, VES Institute of Management Studies & Research, VES Tulsi Technical and Swami Vivekanand High School and Junior College. The drive collected plastic, cloth materials and other waste which were segregated and properly removed from the beach. The initiative provided students with an opportunity to contribute to environmental conservation while reinforcing the importance of responsible waste disposal, sustainability, and social responsibility.
Speaking about the initiative, Shri Rajesh Gehani, Secretary, Vivekanand Education Society, said, “The beach cleanup drive is an initiative we undertake every year as part of our continued commitment towards the environment and the wider community. Through initiatives such as this, we aim to encourage our students to take an active role in keeping our surroundings clean and understanding the importance of responsible waste management. The participation from across VES institutes reflects our collective commitment towards environmental conservation and contributing meaningfully to society.”
For the students, the initiative was more than just a clean-up drive- it was a gesture of gratitude towards Mumbai and a reflection of the belief that every celebration can leave behind a positive impact, not just memories. What began as a small student initiative over two and a half decades ago has today become an institutional tradition passed down through generations of students.
