Zsuzsanna Ferrao

Mumbai

Narendra Modi

Lisbon

I consider India as my own country and believe we should make every effort to keep it clean, says Vasai resident, who began cleaning the beach 4 weeks agoA Hungarian woman residing in Vasai has taken up the challenge to try to undo the damage being done to's coastline and its nearby areas. Even as Prime Ministeris doing everything to ensure his pet campaign, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, is a success, garbage dumps, and littered localities and beaches are a common sight in Mumbai.It was four weeks ago that Zsuzsanna Ferrao, distraught at the dismal condition of Rangaon beach near Vasai, decided to collect the garbage every Sunday. A group of kids playing with the garbage had made her take the decision.Her husband,, an Indian national, son Lucius (3), and 19-month-old daughter, Nascha also join her in the exercise.“We pick up the garbage once every week, and hope to inspire more people to come forward to do the same,“ Zsuzsanna said.“Kids should play with natural things like sand and not with liquor bottles,“ said Lisbon.“Zsuzsanna likes beaches and playing with kids there but she found this beach full of discarded footwear, liquor bottles, syringes, and other discarded material,“ Lisbon added. Every Sunday, the couple and their children collect two bags full of garbage from the beach and dispose them in the municipal garbage bins.“My country doesn't have beaches but it has many rivers and lakes which are generally clean. I consider India as my own country and believe that we should make every effort to keep it clean,“ Zsuzsanna, who has been a Vasai resident for four years, said.Agreeing with her view, Lisbon said that he believes in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and tries to implement it. “However, the efforts of one person alone are never enough.It will take at least a few thousand people to clean only this beach.Naturally, more people need to contribute. Singing the national anthem in theatres is not enough. We must show our love for the country through our actions,“ he said.“Sometimes people even laugh at her. But we do not pay attention. My wife loves nature; if she doesn't do this work, the garbage will end up at some other beach,“ Lisbon added.Villagers residing near Rangaon beach too have noticed the family filling garbage bags. “An outsider comes and cleans beaches in India, we should feel ashamed. We should also learn from them,“ said a villager, Ramesh Gharat.