28th June 2024 Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar, India On World Ocean Day 2024, SORR INDIA, a leader in the sustainable blue economy, organized a series of events at Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The organization integrates coastal communities through its “Go Green for Planet Blue” initiative. SORR is part of the India-Australia “Rise Accelerator” program, supported by NITI Aayog and CSIRO. Led by Commandant Pradeep Kumar Kushwaha (Retd.), CEO & Country Head, SORR INDIA promoted diving among young girls, highlighting the theme “Take Action – Catalysing Action for Our Ocean and Climate”.

Celebrated swimmer and lifesaver, Ms. Saachi Gramopadhye, alongside dive master trainee Ms. Anusha Kayastha, removed marine litter under the supervision of PADI instructor Saw Powdethey at Scubalove Dive Centre. To raise awareness, SORR INDIA distributed 100 packets of biodegradable sanitary napkins to women divers and participants. The “Every Day is an Ocean Day” campaign was launched, pledging to provide a year’s supply of biodegradable sanitary napkins to 365 girls, promoting SDGs 3 and 14.

Commandant Pradeep Kumar Kushwaha emphasized the integration of modern science-based tools to enhance the campaign’s efficacy. “Modern science-based tools such as data analytics, machine learning, drones, etc., will be deployed to enhance the efficacy of the campaign besides training at least 100 fishermen by next World Ocean Day 2025 in each coastal state to become qualified Ocean Warriors to work in the Blue Economy Sustainability drive and steer the New Oil campaign further,” he stated.

SORR INDIA’s ambitious projects aim to deploy sustainable oil recovery and remediation systems across India’s water bodies, in collaboration with the Indian Coast Guard, ports, and shipping industries. This initiative not only aims to clean water bodies but also to create better livelihoods for coastal communities, supporting India’s Net Zero goals. Robert Manning, General Manager of SORR Australia, applauded the team’s success and emphasized global collaboration in line with SDG 17.

Commandant Pradeep Kumar Kushwaha further noted, “SORR INDIA is the shining example of the first cohort of the RISE accelerator program, wherein SORR Australia will be the technology partner supporting SORR INDIA with green tech to manufacture customized pollution response solutions based on the concept of a circular economy with zero landfill at the end of life. SORR INDIA will manufacture not only for local but also global customers, enabling India to become a leader in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) under the Government of India’s flagship program SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.”

With these bold steps, SORR INDIA is set to transform the “Planet Blue”, making it a cleaner, more sustainable place.

Globally, approximately 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste are dumped into aquatic ecosystems annually, including oceans, rivers, and lakes. This amount equates to about 2,000 garbage trucks of plastic being dumped into these water bodies every day. In the context of India, the country is one of the significant contributors to ocean plastic pollution. Alongside other Asian countries, India accounts for a large portion of the mismanaged plastic waste that eventually ends up in the ocean. Mismanaged plastic waste tends to be higher in low-to-middle-income countries due to inadequate waste management infrastructure.