by Suman Gupta
On the morning of June 21, Silver Beach looked a little different. Alongside the usual dog walkers and football players, over 200 students had gathered to clean up the shore.
The drive was organized by Malhar, St. Xavier’s College’s flagship annual cultural festival themed Iridescence, set to take place on the 13th, 14th and 15th of August, in collaboration with Khushiyaan Foundation and Beach Warriors.
The briefing was led by the head of Beach Warriors, who guided over 200 students that participated through safety and cleanup procedures. There were over 20+ huge waste bags collected that went to their warehouse. Students were given gloves and trash bags and asked to handle hazardous materials with care. With over nine years of experience and more than 400 cleanups behind them, Beach Warriors knew exactly how to get the participants moving in the right direction.
The event opened with the group’s slogan: “Who are we?” “Warriors!” And then they got to work, spreading out across the beach and collecting waste of all kinds. Two hours later, the beach was an estimated 70% cleaner.
The head of Beach Warriors closed the event with a short speech urging students to join the regular weekend cleanups that Beach Warriors conducts across Mumbai. Responsible waste disposal, he said, is not an option but a necessity.
For Malhar, this drive was a reflection of something the fest has always believed in. That a cultural festival is not just about what happens on stage. It is about the values it carries off it. Iridescence, this year’s theme, is a celebration of many colours and many causes, and standing up for the environment is one of them.
