KOCHI: Setting an example for cleaning up clogged wetlands in the city, four Vypeen natives came forward to help the choking mangroves breath by collecting around 40 sacks of plastic waste, dumped by visitors atop mangrove roots along Marine Drive walkway, on Sunday.
TOI had highlighted the issue of clogged mangroves in its edition dated December 15.
Daring all odds, Murukesan T P, who got P V Thampy Award this year for planting more than 40,000 mangrove saplings, his wife Geetha and his neighbours Sabu Venatt and Shibu Thuruthummel cleared all the waste stuck between the roots of mangroves along the 750m stretch in northern end of the walkway.
Wading through roots of mangroves trees along the walkway, Murukesan, Sabu and Shibu picked up each and every plastic in five hours in the morning and collected it in 40 sacks with the support of Geetha and Ranjith Thampy, environmentalist. Later, the waste was transported to Brahmapuram with the help of Kochi corporation and CSML workers.
“Murukesan called me and expressed willingness to clean the walkway after he came to know about the waste menace in the area. It was a challenging task as they collected the waste standing in the middle of the polluted water. We also plan to clean the areas around mangroves along the Queen’s Walkway at Chathiyath Road in two days. As the stretch has now been cleaned, what authorities have to do is to ensure visitors do not dump waste again on the waterbody,” said Thampy.
He suggested the corporation or CSML can put up mesh along the stretch to prevent visitorsfrom dumping waste, install more waste bins and boards to create awareness on the ecological devastation caused by waste dumping.
A major chunk of the plastic waste they collected comprised bottles and food parcels. Around 100 categories of waste, including baby napkins, sanitary pads, sacks and plastic bags were found stuck between the roots and it took five hours to collect all the waste. They also collected bags containing used gloves suggesting it was used during the Covid period and dumped on the waterbody, instead of treating it scientifically.
“Sole of my legs turned dark after wading through the polluted water and sediments for five hours. We found the plastic got stuck on the aerial roots, through which the mangroves take in air. The plastic makes it difficult for the roots to take in air and thereby poses a threat to the survival of the tree,” said Murukesan.
Sabu and Shibu, both masons by profession, also engage themselves in planting mangrove saplings. “Murukesan chettan told us about the threat being faced by mangroves along the Marine Drive walkway and put forth the idea of a cleaning drive. We extended our support to him. We have to protect mangroves for our future generation. Even though my children are too young, they also support me in social work,” says Sabu.
