Nerul: More than 200 citizens came together to protect the city’s fragile coastal ecosystem by participating in a large-scale mangrove clean-up drive at Karave Jetty, Nerul, on Sunday, July 26, marking the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

Volunteers aged between 7 and 65 years from Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Raigad and Thane removed nearly 1.5 tonnes of urban waste from the mangrove area. The collected waste included plastic packaging, medical waste, cosmetic containers, footwear, school bags and thermocol, all of which pose a serious threat to mangrove survival.

The clean-up drive was organised by the Environment Life Foundation as part of its Week 310 Mangrove Cleanup Drive, in association with WWF-India (Mangrove Mitra). The initiative was jointly conducted by Rotary Clubs of Navi Mumbai under District 3142, with support from the Mangrove Foundation and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC).

The programme began at 7:00 a.m. with an awareness session highlighting the importance of mangroves in preventing coastal erosion, reducing the impact of climate change and preserving marine biodiversity.

“What we removed today is only a fraction of the waste trapped along our coastline. Non-biodegradable waste reaches the coast through drains and rivers, choking the breathing roots of mangroves. Citizens must segregate waste at source and dispose of it responsibly,” said Dharmesh Barai, founder of Environment Life Foundation and mangrove marshal.

Rotarian Kedarnath Ghorpade of Rotary Club of Satellite City said, “As citizens, we collectively share the responsibility of managing the waste we generate to protect nature, including our mangrove ecosystems.”

Dr Dipankar Chaudhari, president of Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai Valley Golfers, added, “We didn't just pick up trash today—we picked up responsibility. Service Above Self.”

The drive concluded with participants taking a pledge against littering and committing to waste segregation and responsible disposal practices.