Beach cleanup champion looks for new mission
MUMBAI:AFROZ Shah, 34, the man behind “the world’s largest beach cleanup” is now looking for other locations that need to be cleaned as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) contracted the work of cleaning Versova beach to a private agency.
One of the dirtiest beaches in the city, the 2.5-km long stretch was transformed over three years with removal of 20 million kg trash.
While BMC has awarded a ₹22-crore tender to a private company for six years, residents will continue to volunteer. “I feel my work here is done and it is time I moved on,” said Shah. “I am going to take up another flashpoint that needs clean-up efforts as well as community development, but I am yet to decide where.” In October 2015, Shah and his neighbour, Harbansh Mathur, 84, (who passed away in 2016) began clearing the litter. In less than a year, their efforts convinced over 300 citizens to join the campaign.
“Shah will continue to be an icon for this generation,” said Devarshi Ahuja, a resident. In July 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called it the “world’s largest beach cleanup”. Shah was awarded the UN’S top environmental accolade – Champions of the Earth award – in December 2016 at Cancun, Mexico, making him the first Indian to achieve the honour. “Shah and the citizens of Mumbai are a global inspiration,” said UNEP chief Erik Solheim at the time..