Dana Paani Beach clean-up
From Polluters to Protectors : DIYA joins Adv Afroz Shahjis movement of Beach Cleaning
Brief Background
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) honored Afroz with the Champion of the Earth award for his work in organizing community-led clean-up efforts. Since 2015 there is not a single weekend which Shah has not cleaned up the Versova beach and it stretch. The whole beach had tonnes of plastics. Eventually, he started and is joined by hundreds of volunteers, that is only growing in numbers each day. Every weekend he has spent dedicated to this mission, inspiring more than 200,000 volunteers to join him in what’s been called the world’s biggest beach clean-up. Since 2019 his clean up expanded to another beach as well as a stretch of the Mithi River and other regions of India.
About the cleanliness drive
Divine India Youth Association popularly called as DIYA is youth movement of All World Gayatri Parivar, Shantikunj Haridwar. DIYA volunteers stands with Afroz Shah’s movement of cleanliness. Inspired by its mentor Dr Pranav Pandyaji and as a mark of support to Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji youth volunteers from DIYA supports cleanliness drives across the country.
No more talks on challenges DIYA firmly believes in devoted and sincere efforts to bring a resolution to the challenge. Armed with gloves, masks, garbage bags, volunteers enthusiastically toiled under the sun to clean the Dana Paani Beach in Malad expressing their love and care for the community. The cause has become larger. Many NGOs, school children, NSS students from various colleges and youths in general participates regularly in this Beach cleanliness drives. Such initiatives convey the importance of maintaining sanitation and cleanliness to ensure public safety to well-being. The polluter mindset is changed to environmental protection mindset.
Afroz Shahji expressed such initiatives increases community bonding.DIYA works on three fold objective of Swastha Sharir,Swachh Maan and Sabhya Samaj स्वस्थ शरीर, स्वच्छ मन, सभ्य समाज of outer and inner cleanliness.
Notably the mother organisation All World Gayatri Parivar is to conduct a mega Ashwamedha Yagya in Mumbai from 6th to 11th January 2021.Participation in this cleanliness drive along with Afrozji is Prayaj or Preparation to this grand spiritual experiment of man making and character building.
The team appraised Afrozji about our Ganga cleaning and other prominent rivers across the country. Also on behalf of Shraddeya Drji the team invited him to join the annual Ganga cleaning initiative of mission at Har Ki Pauri Hairdwar. Afroz ji was positive about same.
The youth team together further plans cleanliness drives with Afrozji and also to launch deaddiction awareness program in nearby future. The whole team worked hand to glove for success of this cleanliness drive. Special mention of Smt Sangeeta Tiwari didi of GP Vile Parle who was instrumental in connecting the team to Afrozji.