Ponnani municipal chairperson Sivadasan Attupuram inaugurating the beach clean-up drive by placing a cap on the head of an NCC cadet who took part in the drive at Ponnani on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, celebrated the international coastal clean-up day on Saturday (September 20, 2025) by organising a clean-up drive at Ponnani beach.
INCOIS, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, cleaned up the beach in association with Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos), MES Ponnani College, and Ponnani municipality. The drive was part of the Union government’s ‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’ campaign.
Ponnani municipal chairperson Sivadasan Attupuram inaugurated the drive. INCOIS scientist A.G. Nidheesh explained the institute’s ocean information services and stressed the need to safeguard the marine ecosystem from pollution, particularly plastic waste.

The clean-up team with the waste collected from Ponnani beach.
| Photo Credit:
SAKEER HUSSAIN
Scientists, students, and local volunteers joined hands to clean up the shoreline and spread awareness about ocean pollution. They highlighted how plastic waste harms the beauty of the coasts and endangers marine life. Around 100 kg of plastic waste was collected during the clean-up drive.
Coastal police circle inspector Sasidharan Melayil, MES Ponnani College assistant professor Rajool Shanis, Fisheries extension officer K.C. Adarsh, and Kufos representative Krishna Prasad spoke.
Published – September 20, 2025 08:46 pm IST