“Clean BEACH CAMPAIGN” Year: 2012 - 13

Gujarat Ecology Commission

Gandhinagar

1. Background State is having the largest coastline in India majoring about 1600 k.m. This coastline harbours variety of natural heritage and coastal natural health. Gujarat is basically a maritime sector endowed with 1650 k.m long coastline (Over 21% of the Indian coastline of 7517 km), which makes it strategically serving as natural gateway to India. The coastline of Gujarat has two indentations, the Gulf of Kachchh and Gulf of Khambhat covering about 60% of the state coastline. Beach is one of the important ecological habitats which is also identified as ecological sensitive area in the CRZ notification 2011. The beaches are harbouring variety of biodiversity as well as provide the ground to nurture entire ecosystem. Thus Gujarat coast provides ample scope to develop beach/coast based tourism. As pert the recent survey conducted by TCGL in the tourism tread fair it was found that Indian tourist love to travel on domestic destination than the flying outside the country with an average spending of Rs. 18,000.00. Considering importance of coastal area as one of the hottest destinies for the tourist the State had earmarked 350 crores for the development of infrastructure over the identified locations of coastal areas. Recently GUJTOP [A Joint Venture of TCGL and IL & FS] had developed potential 20 Beaches [Tithal [], Dandi [Navasari, Gogha, katpar, Madhavpur, Miyani, Odedar, [] Pingleshwar [Kachchh], Poshitra, Sarkeshwar, Shivarajpur, [Amereli] etc] to develop it as one of the tourism destiny. Which clearly shows that this type of development will be increasing pressure over the coastal beaches of the State. 2. Probable Impacts over Coastal Beaches. The land and coast based manmade activities are the main sources to leading the destruction/pollution of the marine ecosystem. Following are the major reasons for the destruction of marine ecosystem due to land base activities.  Urban sprawl and habitat loss from construction and tourist pressures  Solid waste and sewage discharge; chemical effluents due to tourism and other land based activities  Coral bleaching  Coastal erosion, beach loss  Sea-level rise; extreme wave events

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 Manmade activities like use of plastic/solid waste depositing/unused food etc 3. Rational of the Clean Beach Campaign.  Recently, MoEF had issued new Coastal Regulation Zone notification 2011 with a mandate for conservation of coastal resource. Under this notification beaches and sand dunes are covered as ecological sensitive area and under NO DEVELOPMENT ZONE therefore it is essential to make aware the people/tourist who visits the beaches about the CRZ notification and its implications through proper way  Due to tourism and other manmade activities such as pollution through uses of plastics, sanitation issues, and illegal constructions beaches are facing several threats therefore it is also necessary to awake nearby populations and other stakeholders about the importance of beaches and its sustainable uses  It is also necessary to make aware about the do and do not at the beaches to the traveller and other public who visits the beaches for recreational purposes.  Beach conservation in the State requires joint efforts therefore it is essential to create an effective impact over the various stake holders to join hands in its conservation by way of an appropriate communication means. 4. Clean Beach Campaign – 2012 – 13. Considering the importance of beaches and requirement to initiate the campaign to generate mass awareness among the all stakeholders, Forest & Environment Department, Government of Gujarat has approved the project on clean beach campaign over the coastline of Gujarat with total outlay of Rs. 37.50 lac. Main aim of the project is to establish new initiatives towards awareness creation among the local stakeholders on the importance of beach cleanliness to maintain its aesthetic value. The Forests & Environment Department, Government of Gujarat and Gujarat Ecology Commission have taken measures to reduce ecological and anthropogenic threats to coastal environment. ‘Clean Beach Campaign’ comprises of various action oriented programmes and awareness activities like a cleanliness drive, displaying hoardings over the beaches with effective messages, distribution of leaflets etc by involving visitors/tourists, NGOs, eco-clubs, schools etc. Objective of this campaign are as following:  Promote the importance of having clean, healthy and well-managed beaches.  Improve the living environment of Gujarat coast through greater public awareness towards beach cleanliness.

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 Develop beach/coast based tourism activities  Conserve and preserve marine life  Engage in activities to remove litter on beaches  Identify the source of the debris and initiate activities/campaign to bring behaviour changes To achieve the objectives, GEC team identified and surveyed 20 potential beaches along the Gujarat Coast namely; Umargaon, Nargol, Tithal (Valsad), Dandi (), Ubharat, Kuda, Koliya, Zanjhmer, Gopnath, Mahua, Madhavpur, Porbandar, Mandavi (Kutch), Shivrajpur, Dwarka, Beyt-Dwarka, Somnath, Narara, Harshad, and Ahmedpur (Mandavi).

Fig. 1 - Beaches of Gujarat Based on survey, GEC published comprehensive report namely “Coastline of Gujarat” gives a holistic view of 20 beaches of Gujarat. It includes information regarding administrative details, history, social angle and livelihood activities, presence of flora and fauna, its potential to become a notable tourist destination, anthropogenic and natural threats, responses, recommended management practices and key output of the consultation. Based on the report, GEC selected 6 major beaches for conducting Clean Beach Campaign as shown in below table.

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Sr. No. Beach Selected for Campaign District 1 Tithal Valsad 2 Ubharat 3 Porbandar Porbandar 4 Dwarka 5 Somnath Veraval 6 Mandavi Kutch

2. Campaign included:  Cleanliness Drive through involvement of eco-clubs, NGOs, local vendors, National Social Service etc.  Hoardings and Display Boards: GEC put up hoardings at all the 20 surveyed beaches having messages of Do’s and Dont’s. Size of the hoarding is 15 ft x 8 ft. Total cost of contract for displaying hoardings was Rs.10.97 lacs. Hoardings and Display Boards

Hoardings at Gopnath in Mahuva block Hoardings at Devbhumi Dwarika

Hoadings at Dandi - Navsari

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Do’s Don’ts Avoid using plastics, as it is non – biodegradable and causes pollution. Put all the waste in the dustbin. Instead use materials like clay, paper, cloth etc. Avoid feeding marine creatures; Carry bags to put the trash your food may harm them. Carry drinking water along, save Dumping waste on the beach or in your money and help reduce the Sea. literacy. Offerings made to God should be at It is home to a variety of marine the place of worship not at the beach flora and fauna. or in the Sea. Walk an inch more but make sure

you find a dustbin for dumping Make use of “Pay and Use” facilities.

 Distribution of T-shirts for promoting the campaign: Total 1000 nos of T- shirts prepared for promoting the campaign and distributes among the participants who took part in the campaign. Total cost of the contract for T-shirt was Rs. 3,24,000/-.  Dissemination of leaflets/posters/brochures: GEC has prepared and distributed 10,000 leaflets to all possible stakeholders. 3. Mascot of ‘Clean Beach Campaign’. It is chosen as the mascot for ‘Clean Beach Campaign’ as our beaches have to be preserved, and catered to just like the Green Sea Turtles. Green Sea Turtle is listed as an endangered species, and hence, is an asset to the beaches of Gujarat. Mascot was reviled by the then Minister, Forests & Environment Department, Shri Mangubhai Patel in Tithal, Valsad on 16th September, 2012.

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4. About the Campaign: To promote the Campaign and to run the campaign at least for the 3 to 4 months after lunching, GEC undertook all the campaigns in association with local partners for ensuring the involvement of local stakeholders, colleges and local civic authorities. Motive of the campaign is to in still a sense of keeping the beaches clean. Details of the campaign are as follow: TITHAL - VALSAD The first campaign was launched on 16th September, 2012 by the then Minister, Forests & Environment Department, Shri Mangubhai Patel in Tithal, Valsad in association with the local level NGO namely Shree Mahima Gram Vikas Sansthan, Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Tithal and Tithal Gram Panchayat. Local stakeholders, vendors, school and college students, Panchayat members, Saints of the Swaminarayan Temple etc. Leaflets of Clean the Beach Campaign were presented during the campaign. The Minister explained the importance about the beach cleanliness and need of conservation of the beauty of beach. All were involved in cleanliness drive at the beach. Students and local stakeholders were very actively participated in this campaign.

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Comprehensive Report on Coastline of Gujarat

Mascot of ‘Clean the BEACH Campaign’

Dustbin Dristibution to Local Vendor

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Dustbin Dristibution to Local Vendor

Cleanliness Drive on the Beach Area

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MANDAVI - KACHCHH Forest & Environment Minister, Government of Gujarat, Shri. Govind Bhai Patel launched the campaign at Mandavi in Kachchh District on 29th March, 2012. The campaign was organized in association with the Kutch Forest Division. More than 250 students, local beach vendors, staff of the forest division, local level nature clubs, Mandavi Nagar Palika were actively involved in this campaign. Activities like Cycle Rally, plantation drive, cleanliness drive, distribution of leaflets, T-Shrits and caps for the participants, putting down 10 big dust bins at the beach and distribution of 30 small dust bins among the beach vendors had carried out during the campaign.

Cycle Rally to create Awareness

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Inaugural by Shri Govindbhai Patel, Hon. Minister

Dustbin Distribution

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Tree Plantation by Smt. Poonamben Jaat, Member of Parliament, Kachchh district.

PORBANDAR Hon. Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, livestock, Fisheries, Government of Gujarat, Shri Babubhai Bokhariya launched the campaign at Porbandar on 30th March, 2012 in association with the Botany Department, M.D. Science College, Porbandar. During the campaign, more than 500 students, cleaners of Nagar Palika, Nature clubs members, College Staff etc were participated. Activities like distribution of leaflets, Rally with displaying messages, distribution on more than 10,000 leaflets along with the newspaper (Copy of the leaf late is enclosed herewith), distribution of more than 2500 broachers among the visitors and local people, distribution of T-shirts among participants, Cleanliness drive in association with the students, coast guards, cleaners of Porbandar Nagar Palika and press releases in local newspapers had been carried out. This campaign runs for 6 months after the launch. All the participants and local stakeholders involved enthusiastically and successfully ran the campaign.

Inaugural by Shri Babubhai Bokhiriya, Hon. Minister

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Leaflet Distribution

Rally to Create Awareness

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UBHARAT - NAVSARI GEC conducted campaign in association with the Ubharat Gram Panchayat on 20th April, 2013. Gram Panchayat constituted a local level committee for maintaining and looking after the beach. During the campaign, activities like distribution of 40 dust bins among vendors, distributions of leaflets, cleanliness drive along with local stake holders, visitor, and members of Gram Panchayat had been carried out.

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SOMNATH - VERAVAL GEC launched the campaign in association with the Somanath Temple Trust on 26th May, 2013. More than 500 people had been present during the campaign. Managing Director of Somnath Temple Trust and Dr. A. P. Singh, IFS, Director (I/C), GEC had launched the campaign at Somnath. Activities like distribution of more than 50 dust bins among the local vendors, cleanliness drive, T-shirt distribution, distribution of leaflets, and exhibition on importance of beach conservation.

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DEVBHUMI DWARIKA Campaign launched in association with the Marine National Park & Sanctuary, Jamnagar on 21st September,2013. Campaign launched by the Chief Conservator of Forests, MNP & S and Commanding Officer, Indian Coast Guard. TATA Chemicals LTD.also associated in the campaign and actively participated. The campaign runs for 3 days at Dwarka, Beyt-Dwarka, Mithapur and Narara. School students, employees of MNP & S, Employees of TATA Chemicals LTD, Coast Guards were enthusiastically in cleanliness drive. Drive conducted at the Ghomati Ghat, Bhadkeshwar Temple, the beach of Dwarka, Narara and Mithapur beach. Activities like Rally by school students, T-shirt and dust bins distributions among vendors and school students, distributions of leaflets had been conducted.

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Campaign ran for 3 to 4 months at all the places in association with the local level partners and they all have been successfully completed the campaign. 5. Funds allotted to the local level partners by GEC: GEC received Rs.37.50 lac under the State budget- 2012-13 for conducting Clean Beach Campaign along the Gujarat Coast. Out of Rs. 37.50 lacs. GEC has allotted funds to the local level partners for organizing the campaign on running the campaign. Details of the funds allotted to the partners are as follow: Sr. No. Name of the local Partner Amount in Rs. Gram Panchayat – Tithal & Shree Mahima 1 2,50,000.00 Gram Vikas Sansthan 2 Kutch Forest Division 5,00,000.00 3 M. D. Science College, Porbandar 4,75,000.00 4 Ubharat Gram Panchayat, Ubharat 3,00,000.00 5 Somnath Temple Trust, Somnath 1,00,400.00 6 Marine National Park & Sanctuary, Jamnagar 3,00,000.00 Total 16,25,400.00

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6. Establishment of Institutional Mechanism: The suitable institutional mechanism has been also been established at each place. In Ubhrat the Gram Panchayat has formed the sub-committee [this committee is having members from Panchayat, vendors etc] for beach management, they are collecting the entry fees and from the income the vendor is being cleaning the beach. Similarly at Porbandar the Science collage is partner they have collaborated with Municipality, District revenue office and Forest Department to carry forward this activity on regular basis. At Mandavi the forest department has tied up with Municipality for taking up these activities further. At Somnath the Temple Trust itself with the help of their own employee and other voluntary and Government organization are taking forward this initiative. At Dwarika Marine National Park & Sanctuary with the help of Tata Chemical, Dwarika Temple Trust and Dwarika Municipality and other voluntary organisation taking up this initiative further.

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