A group of professional divers belonging to the Kalinga Divers’ Foundation (KDF), took matters into their own hands as they organised a cleaning drive of the underwater waste gathered in Mahanadi river. This activity was conducted as a part of the ‘Mahanadi Bachao Andolan’.
The operation was launched with the help of a floating platform with eight drums and a boat. The cleaning drive was conducted in association with Riyadh Odia Socio-Cultural Association.
Heading the operation was a 20 member team of Kalinga Divers’ Foundation who managed to shovel out 55 bags of degradable and non-degradable waste from a stretch of the river facing the Odisha Maritime Museum at Jobra. The team was led by internationally-acclaimed diver Sabir Bux who is also the head of KDF. The whole operation was undertaken to create awareness among people against pollution.
“During the underwater operation that lasted for nearly three hours, we found a lot of garbage, including plastic bottles, puja items packed in polythene bags and clothes thrown into the river,” said Bux. “A total of 55 bags of 40kg capacity each were used to take out the garbage,” Bux Added.
Pranab Biswal, ex-Indian Navy man, who was a marine commando and a diver, said, “Our initiative in cleaning the river is expected to motivate people from all walks of life to desist from throwing waste in the river and help in protecting Mahanadi’s rich eco-system.”
Another diver who was a part of the cleaning drive stated, “The outcome of the underwater cleaning operation was disturbing. The stretch of the river seems to have turned into a veritable dumping spot for different kinds of wastes.”