Mumbai: In a unique initiative linking personal well-being with environmental responsibility, environment advocacy group, the Environment Life Foundation (ELF), joined hands with Shivomay Yog and Wellness to celebrate the International Day of Yoga through a combined yoga session and mangrove cleanup drive along the Navi Mumbai coastline.
Held under the theme “Pran and Paryavaran” (Life-Breath and Environment), the event also marked the foundation’s 305th consecutive week of mangrove cleanups, underscoring its long-standing commitment to environmental conservation.
Despite a light morning drizzle, around 40 volunteers gathered amid the mangroves to participate in an open-air yoga session led by Dipali Udiavar, an integrative yoga practitioner, psychotherapist and founder of Shivomay Yog and Wellness. Surrounded by the lush coastal ecosystem, participants practised yoga while connecting with nature and breathing in the fresh sea air.
The event highlighted the close relationship between human health and a healthy environment. Emphasising this connection, Environment Life Foundation founder Dharmesh Barai said, “The air we breathe must be toxic-free if we want a better lifestyle. We must take absolute responsibility for our local surroundings, water bodies and vital wetlands.”
Before commencing the cleanup, volunteers took a pledge to follow the ‘3R Formula’ — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle — and committed themselves to minimising waste generation and ensuring proper disposal. Participants also stressed the importance of protecting the habitats of countless species that share the planet, noting that environmental stewardship is essential for maintaining ecological balance.
Following the yoga session, the foundation’s “Mangrove Soldiers” carried out a large-scale cleanup operation, removing approximately 300 kilograms of waste from the coastline. The debris collected primarily consisted of plastic waste, thermocol, discarded footwear and medical waste.
Organisers noted that clearing such waste helps protect mangrove ecosystems by preventing pollution from obstructing the plants’ aerial root systems, allowing them to breathe and thrive naturally.
The Environment Life Foundation expressed its gratitude to the Mangrove Foundation for its continued support and to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) for providing logistical assistance.
The programme concluded with a call for greater environmental awareness and responsible resource use, reinforcing the message that protecting nature today is essential to securing a healthier and more sustainable future for generations to come.
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