MSS@100 Coastal Clean-up Week 2025

To celebrate International Coastal Clean-up Day 2025 this September, MSSRF is hosting a weeklong coastal clean-up along the Indian coastline in partnership with HCL Foundation, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, INCOIS, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and other local and government partners. This series of events also serves as a tribute to the 100th birth anniversary of the late Prof. M.S. Swaminathan and his steadfast commitment to integrating the ecological security of coastal areas with the livelihood security of coastal communities—creating mutually reinforcing pathways toward sustainable coastal resource management. 

With the participation of at least 5,000 individuals, MSS@100 Coastal Clean-up Week 2025 is estimated to clear 50–70 tonnes of debris from a 75–100 km stretch of beaches. This coastal clean-up drive unites efforts across 100 beaches along the Indian coastline, spanning Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat. 

On 17th September, the weeklong coastal clean-up was inaugurated at Kasimedu Beach, Chennai by Supriya Sahu IAS, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change & Forests, in the presence of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF,  and Dr. Jayanthi Murali, Chairperson, TN Pollution Control Board. 

From 17th to 23rd September, our coastal clean-up efforts will spread across 10-30 beaches daily. The inaugural event on 17th September kickstarted simultaneous clean-up activities across 18 beaches spanning Kanyakumari, Tuticorin, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Puducherry, Chennai, Krishna, and Ernakulam. 

Beyond clearing marine litter and ghost gear from our coasts, this coastal clean-up drive embodies Prof. M.S. Swaminathan's enduring belief that environmental solutions must emerge from within communities themselves. By mobilising fishing communities, local organisations, schools, and government agencies across six coastal states, we raise nationwide awareness about coastal conservation whilst building the collaborative networks essential for long-term impact. This initiative extends beyond a single week of action—it strengthens the partnerships and community knowledge systems that will protect India's marine ecosystems for generations to come, ensuring that coastal communities remain both guardians and beneficiaries of healthy ocean environments.