The Ministry of Earth Sciences organized a coastal cleanup drive at Digha Beach in East Midnapore as part of the Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar 5.0 campaign. The event, coordinated nationwide by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, involved approximately 100 participants including college students and officials from MARC, NIOT, INCOIS, the India Meteorological Department, and the Indian Coast Guard. The initiative was inaugurated by Shri Sreenivasa Rao Gangi Reddy, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with NIOT representatives. This cleanup drive serves as a prelude to International Coastal Cleanup Day scheduled for September 19, 2026, with the primary objectives of raising awareness about marine pollution and promoting sustainable practices for the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems.