Ariyaman Beach Cleanup
Draws Press Coverage from Maalai Express and Vin TV
On Saturday, 11 July 2026, Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, with support from ONGC under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, organized a beach cleanup at Ariyaman Beach in Ramanathapuram as part of the district's Swachhta Pakhwada 2026 observance. The event went on to get covered by Maalai Express, a Tamil daily, and by Vin TV, which reported on it in a video segment.
What happened at Ariyaman Beach
More than 50 volunteers took part, including students, youth, and members of the local community. Over three hours, they collected roughly one quintal of plastic and other non-biodegradable waste from the beach and sent it on for recycling. Alongside the cleanup, the team spoke with beach visitors, shopkeepers, and caretakers about plastic pollution and encouraged responsible waste disposal going forward.
ONGC Chief Manager Ranjith attended alongside OAF founder Upasna Mody, beach lifesaving trainer Jehan Driver, Forest Department ranger Ravikumar, Saathankone Valasai Panchayat secretary Viswanathan, and Star iBase Resort owner Pradeep.
In the press
Maalai Express covered the cleanup on page 5 of its 13 July 2026 edition, under a headline that translates to "Cleanliness work by ONGC and Ocean Ambassadors Foundation at Ariyaman Beach." The report named the participating officials and described the effort as aligned with the goals of India's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, with ONGC's Chief Manager speaking to the importance of environmental protection and community participation.
Vin TV also ran a video segment on the cleanup, adding a second independent outlet to the local coverage OAF's coastal programmes have picked up this year.
Why this matters
Ariyaman Beach draws thousands of visitors a year and sits along a stretch of coastline OAF works to protect through programmes like the Artificial Reef Project and Dive Against Debris. A cleanup like this one does two things at once. It removes plastic before it re-enters the water, and it puts the message about plastic pollution directly in front of the people who use the beach every day.
To take part in a future cleanup or support OAF's coastal conservation work, visit theoceanambassadors.org
