Army sailors to launch 40-day expedition to campaign against ocean pollution

The expedition aims to spread awareness against ocean pollution. (Representational image)

Starting from October 15, a group of 45 Army sailors will undertake a 40-day sailing expedition across major ports of the country. The expedition aims to spread awareness against ocean pollution by collecting evidence of soiled water from the seas.

Led by Major Alok Yadav from Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Sailing Association (EME SA), the group will consist of senior officers and jawans. “We plan to start from Haldia port in Kolkata on October 15 and end the journey at Porbander port by November 25. We plan to explore major ports, including Vishakaptanam, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai and end with Porbander. We plan to sail on the ocean-worthy sail yacht for the expedition,” Yadav said. According to Yadav, at least eight to 10 sailors will rotate at their ports of call.

The sailors aim to start from Sagar Island in West Bengal and sail across ports, including Vishakapatnam, Chennai, Trivandrum, Kochi, Mangalore, Goa, Mumbai and Porbander. Formed in 1964 in Secunderabad, the association has frequently sailed for adventures and has taken part in various competitions. Yadav said that the 40-day expedition will be aimed to help various research agencies, including the MET regarding pollutants in the aquatic life and inform about weather conditions.

“We plan to remove plastic covers or waste if we find any and take photographs of unclean water to submit it for research. We have been trained for the same. The cost of this entire expedition is over Rs 30 lakh,” Yadav said.