26 tonnes of garbage removed from beaches

According to the information from the city Corporation, 15.8 tonnes of solid waste were removed from Marina beach during a cleaning drive that was undertaken from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. “Apart from this, the civic body had cleared around 10 tonnes of garbage from the Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar,” a Corporation official said.

The official added that more than 125 conservancy workers were deployed in shift-basis on Marina beach, while around 40 workers cleaned Elliot’s beach.

“Steps have been taken to replace damaged garbage bins across the city, and the waste generated during Pongal are being removed in a war-footing,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

As per an estimation by the city police, over five lakh people visited the Marina beach on Friday (Kaanum Pongal) while Elliot’s beach recorded a footfall of more than 5,000 persons.

Meanwhile, the civic body had already converted Elliot’s beach into the litter-free zone by deploying 35 conservancy workers in three shifts. The workers would make rounds on the beach with portable garbage bins.

A Chennai Corporation press release said that 1,128 persons had visited six medical and first-aid camps in the beaches.