Chinu Kwatra

Dadar beach

Erik Solheim

United Nations

Indraneil Sen

It is time we stopped blaming state and civic agencies, and took remedial actions on our own. Chinu Kwatra, Dadar Beach Clean-up Warrior

Big thanks to @AfrozShah1 sir for all the love & respect. Thank you @UNEnvironment for felicitating #BeachWarriors,… https://t.co/XIUpSPqqFx — Chinu Kwatra (@chinukofficial) 1527407622000

Week no: 40

After 40 weeks of clearing our mess,is getting his due. The face of thecleanup was on Sunday felicitated at Versova beach by, under-secretary and head of theEnvironment Programme, for spearheading the campaign.Solheim is in the city to take part in celebrations centred on World Environment Day (WED), which falls on June 5. India is the global host of WED 2018.The UN official said beating plastic pollution — the theme for WED this year — is one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Solheim also felicitated Malhar Kalambe, founder of Beach Please; Jay Shringarpur from Dadar; andgupta from Mahim — all of whom are involved with beach cleanliness campaigns.Inspired by the citizen-driven weekend Versova beach cleanliness programme — championed by activist Afroz Shah and dubbed by the UN as the world’s largest beach cleanup project — Thane resident Kwatra has been spearheading a similar campaign, along with his ‘beach warriors’, at Dadar Chowpaty every Sunday.The drive completed its 40th week this Sunday. Kwatra was prompted by the sight of a trashed Dadar beach following the immersion of Ganpati idols last August to take action. Mumbai Mirror has been tracking the progress of the drive for weeks.Despite the accolade, the 27-year-old dual MBA graduate — who says he runs a dhaba in Thane — is a picture of humility. He insists that he is only doing his bit to leave behind a “livable” earth for future generations. “I want our children to breathe clean air. I don’t want the earth to be overrun by plastic.”Asserting that tackling littering is everybody’s responsibility, he says, “It is time we stopped blaming state and civic agencies, and took remedial actions on our own.”He says most of the litter at Dadar comprises plastic cutlery. “There was a cyclone on Friday, and on the same day, a floatel restaurant capsized off Bandra. These washed ashore oil (from the boat), plastic cutlery and packets noodles. Over the weeks, we had managed to spruce up the beach, but it’s now a sordid mess again.”On Sunday, 50 volunteers from Nerul, Matunga and Prabhadevi got down to the task of clearing the stretch. The BMC sent four workers, an earthmover and a truck to load the garbage.Kwatra has sent his nomination for the United Nations’ Young Champion of the Earth 2018 award, an accolade that Afroz Shah won in 2016. Seven winners of the award will be announced towards the end of the year.This week, the drive will be held on all days, barring Wednesday and Thursday. Singer Abhijeet Sawant will join volunteers on June 2.The timing of the drive is dependent on the high tide. To join, contact Chinu Kwatra at 9769181218. Alternatively, you can sign up for it through the Facebook page, Dadar Beach Clean-up.