Mumbai (September 16, 2016): Nickelodeon Toon Shiva along with Motu Patlu were at Girgaum and Juhu Chowpatty as part of a cleanup drive curated by CMCA, a non-profit organization which works with schools to promote civic awareness among youth and children. As part of the drive, over 800 students along with Nicktoons Shiva and Motu Patlu, collected the waste that got washed back by the water, after the Ganesh immersions. This was done in a bid to make the beaches litter free.
The purpose of this initiative was to sensitize children on the responsibilities that go with the celebration of any festival. In the case of Ganesh Visarjan, Nicktoon Shiva and superstars Motu Patlu educated the kids about the ill-effects of immersing POP idols in water bodies. The kids were encouraged to buy clay idols /eco-friendly idols or immerse their POP idols in artificial ponds.
Speaking on the occasion Motu Patlu commented “We are extremely proud of CMCA’s active involvement in promoting civic awareness and responsible celebration of festivities in Mumbai. It is important that the kids, who are our best friends, enjoy festivities but are also aware of the responsibilities that go with it. Children are not only impressionable and early adopters of change but also have tremendous power to amplify this message of a clean and Chakachak Mumbai.”
Vinodini Lulla, Trustee at CMCA further added “CMCA has always advocated celebration of festivals with responsibility. In this case, students are made aware of the harmful effects of POP idols which are immersed in the sea. Students are encouraged to use ecofriendly idols. Cleaning up of the beaches after the immersions give the students an experiential learning on what we do to our beaches and marine life. The cleanup is a life changing experience for our students every year. We are delighted to have found a partner in Viacom18 who has been actively involved in cleanliness and sanitation awareness in Mumbai. With this beach cleanup drive, we are sure that, together, we will be able to bring about a behavioral change towards cleanliness and environment protection amongst the young students in Mumbai.“