"Approximately 1,500 residents of this city participated in the beach clean-up drive as part of the celebrations to commemorate Earth Day on last Saturday," Head of the National Aquaculture Conservation Center of Kupang Ikram Sangadji stated here on Friday.
Sangadji said the activity was themed "Message From NTT to the World: No More Waste at Sea."
The theme highlights the fact that both the land and maritime areas of earth, which serves as an abode for living beings, should always be treated with care, as indeed the potential waste disposed into the sea is more than that dumped on land.
"We want people to become aware about maintaining cleanliness in beaches," Sangadji noted.
Local communities conducted the clean-up operation along the coastal areas of Kupang City from the coast of Namosain to the coast of Oesapa and the surrounding areas.
Personnel of the Indonesian Military, National Police, students, and several agencies also participated in the event. Moreover, dozens of divers from various agencies also took part in the activity and prepared to dive and clean up waste along the coast of Pasir Panjang.
Alex, a resident living around the coast of Pasir Panjang, lauded the clean beach-up activities to remove garbage from coastal and marine areas.
"Public awareness of coastal cleanliness is low. If we clean up the beach this morning, it will be dirty again in the afternoon," he pointed out.
He expressed hope that the government would formulate a regulation to maintain coastal cleanliness. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
