Chennai, February 13: Tamil Nadu Forest officials, trained in scuba diving, participated in the removal of plastic waste from Gulf of Mannar on Tuesday. More than 1,000 rare species -- corals, snails, turtle, sea cow, and finless porpoise are found in the Gulf of Mannar which is facing changes over the past years due to an imbalance in the quality of water. Plastic Ban in Tamil Nadu: Madras High Court Quashes Petitions, Ban to Come into Effect From January 1, 2019.

On January 24, more than one tonne plastic waste was collected by volunteers of a college and forest department personnel at Kurusadi Island. It is a protected island near Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district. Kurusadi Island is among the 21 protected islands covered under the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park since 1986.

Video of Tamil Nadu forest officials, trained in scuba diving removing plastic waste from the Gulf of Mannar:

In September last year too, the forest officials conducted a seawater cleaning drive in the Gulf of Mannar covering a distance of one kilometre. According to reports, a total of six kilograms of waste removed then. The waste materials included ghutka packets, plastic plates, plastic water bottles, liquor bottles, etc. Alternatives for Plastic Ban: These Soluble Bags Made From Potato and Organic Waste Could Be a Good Option.

The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka, in the Coromandel Coast region. The Gulf of Mannar is known to harbour over 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia. Meanwhile, a total of 117 rare coral species have been recorded in the Gulf of Mannar.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 13, 2019 09:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).