The plastic waste that washed ashore on Agonda beach.
CANACONA
In a case of nature striking back, plastic waste that people have discarded or abandoned in water bodies over time is now washing ashore in large quantities.
Tons of plastic and other debris have been washing up on the sands of Agonda beach over the past few days. The coastal sea waters are becoming increasingly filled with plastic waste, reflecting nature’s way of protesting by returning this human-made environmental disaster back to us.
According to sources, a significant amount of debris, mostly plastic, has washed up on the shore. The shoreline is heavily littered with this debris, and fishermen using traditional methods like Paim-voddo are catching more waste than fish in their nets. The plastic waste, much of it blown onto land, can be seen stretching as far as the eye can see along the 1.9 km Agonda beach.
One of the local fisherman shared, “For now, fishermen have stopped using their Paim-vaddo because the nets are filled with debris instead of fish. Even those venturing out on traditional fishing boats are finding their nets clogged with plastic waste rather than fish.”
Environmental and social worker Dr. Cajy D’Silva commented, “While plastic has revolutionised industries and daily life due to its versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness, its widespread and often careless use has caused significant environmental damage. The pollution from plastic waste, especially single-use items, ends up in oceans, harming marine life and ecosystems. Plastic’s non-biodegradability means it takes hundreds of years to break down, leading to long-term environmental problems. Additionally, as plastic degrades, it breaks down into microplastics that contaminate water and food sources, posing health risks to all living beings, including humans.”
Interestingly, the tourism department has yet to deploy women to clean the beach, leaving large sections of Agonda beach still heavily littered with debris.
