Abating coastal pollution for protectingenvironment in ecologically sensitivearea of Astaranga, Puri district, Odisha

Pir Jahania, the famous shrine situated in the shore of Bay of Bengal and its scenic beach attract many tourists for their religious sentiment and as a beautiful picnic spot. The green cover of casuarinas, good mangrove vegetation and the mass nesting site of Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtles are the specialty of this place. In spite of constant efforts by the forest department of Puri, continuous human interference deteriorates the environment with plastic pollution and other non-biodegradable materials like stray foam, thermocol, glass bottles turning the protection of the same as a major concern for the environmentalists. Puri Field Centre of ICAR-CMFRI along with forest department of Puri thus decided to make an awareness programme on plastic pollution in this tourist place.