Cleaner beach

Whether it’s beaches or any human settlements the importance of cleanliness can never be an overstatement. A clean environment is essential for human health and for the health of all living beings. We all thank Shaniera Akram, the wife of ex-cricketer Wasim Akram, for cleaning up the Clifton beach. Around five weeks ago, she was shocked to see the beach littered with hazardous hospital waste and other kinds of garbage. But she was not awed.

She and her husband and many other people regularly visited the beach for jogging and found that conditions at the beach had been worsening by the day and nobody was doing anything to stem the rot. The dangerous hospital waste was not only threatening the beach visitors and those living in the neighbourhood, but far beyond the immediate environs.

Shaniera made a firm determination to clean up the beach. She mobilised civil society and also received a helping hand from the Sindh government. Lo and behold her efforts and those of many others whom she inspired to join in the noble cause gave out tremendous results! In around five months, their efforts produced a miracle. The glory of the Clifton beach has been restored! Husband Wasim took to Twitter to praise the efforts of Shaneira and share the glad tidings that the Clifton beach was as good as new. He thanked Shaniera and all those, including the provincial government, who joined in the noble cause. Earlier Wasim’s wife had said the task looked a Herculean task. She and her team, however, completed the gigantic task in a short time. Wasim wrote on Twitter, “This is proof that if we all unite and make a resolution, be it as a neighbourhood or as a nation, we can achieve it. So well done Karachi, we got a clean beach.” We all feel bowled over by Shaniera’s efforts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2020.

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