Plastic pollution and its effects on Visakhapatnam beaches

Visakhapatnam is gifted with a number of beautiful sandy beaches. They give people the opportunity to go for strolls with the waves touching their feet. These beaches are a major attraction for the citizens and tourists alike. One cannot resist being blown away by the beauty that surrounds them. The lush green hills are an absolute delight to the eyes when on a stroll along the cool sands. But there is a darker side to this picture perfect scenario. There is loads of garbage strewn over the beaches by irresponsible people.

Recently there was a photograph being circulated on WhatsApp which depicted human footprints, along a beach, followed by a filthy trail of garbage. This is what humans are doing to our lovely beaches. On every fun trip to the beach, we surely end up having some snacks from the stalls. Though these are put up for our convenience, more often than not, the plastic containers are thrown right at the beach. Throwing them in the bins is as much our responsibility as it is of the stall owners. This plastic waste, lying on the beach, gets washed away into the sea resulting in loads of plastic pollution. 

Imagine when we go into the sea to enjoy a cool dip, and having some fun among the waves, if a lot of dirty plastic hits our feet.. Also, the more affected are the marine wildlife, like turtles and large fish, that mistake this plastic waste as food, eat them, and suffer a horrible death. 

Moreover, the city’s beaches also have drains dumping untreated water into the sea. These not only create a stench, that makes you hurriedly cover your nose, they also pollute the waters making them unsafe. The endangered Olive Ridley Turtles, nest on our beaches annually, have been put at high risk because of the plastic deterrents

It is not only the duty of the Visakhapatnam civil authorities to ensure the cleanliness of the beaches and the seas. We, the citizens of Visakhapatnam should also become responsible towards these grave issues and contribute in every way we can. For starters, we should dispose of our waste in the garbage bins put up by the authorities at regular intervals. Also, one must volunteer in joining groups that undertake beach cleaning programmes. This will not only make our beaches cleaner from all the plastic pollution but also protect the marine creatures that depend on the sea as their habitat. Would you like it if people throw their garbage in your house?