Nerul: “Father is our best buddy,” proclaims 10-year-old Paridhi Mhatre as she prepares to dig out trash during the mangrove clean up activity.

Scorching sun or rains, Paridhi and her younger sibling Vivansh (6) are veterans of the mangrove clean up organised by the Environment Life Foundation every Sunday. The Mhatres, residents of Nerul gaon, sector 20, have been regulars for the last one year.

“Once we had gone along with Papa to watch what he is doing every Sunday morning and that day we realised that he was saving our earth,” Paridhi states.

Paridhi and Vivansh were caught with the mangrove clean up bug after their father Amol showed them the efforts by volunteers to save the mangroves.

The kids never got frightened seeing various kinds of trash including medical waste. “After watching Papa, we learnt how to remove trash.”

To celebrate Father’s Day Paridi and Vivansh have designed a greeting card and intend to hand it over to their father.