World Environment Day: Sudarsan Pattnaik makes ‘biggest sand turtle’ to highlight plastic pollution

Sudarsan Pattnaik creates his “biggest sand turtle” sculpture at Odisha’s Puri beach to mark World Environment Day.

Internationally-acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik took to Twitter on Tuesday to share his “biggest sand turtle” sculpture at Odisha’s Puri beach to mark World Environment Day.

(‘Biggest Sand Turtle’ by sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on World Environment Day (Sudarsan Pattanaik/Twitter))

“My Biggest Sand Turtle, 50ft long & 30ft wide with installation of plastic bottles at Puri beach in Odisha with message #BeatPlasticPollution for #WorldEnvironmentDay,” Pattnaik tweeted.

The sculpture is based on this year’s World Environment Day theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, which is a call to people to make small changes in their everyday lives to reduce their plastic footprint.

Social media users were impressed with Pattnaik’s sculpture and praised his efforts to convey the important message through his art.

“Imaginative n Innovative: Excellence efforts Plz keep it up in larger interest.... (sic),” tweeted one user. “This is incredible....luved it........gr8 art to awaken people.. (sic)” wrote another.

The United Nations’ environment website says up to 13 million tonnes of plastic leak every year into our oceans, where it adversely threatens corals and valuable marine life.

Oceans will have more plastic than fish by 2050: Study

A leading Indian marine scientist has said that the major oceans on earth will have more plastic than fish by 2050.

V Kripa, the principal scientist of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), said there is a sharp increase in the quantum of plastic waste getting into the ocean every year and if the situation continued plastic debris will outnumber marine creatures, especially fish.

India is the global host of this year’s World Environment Day and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing an event on Tuesday. World Environment Day is marked on June 5 and focusses on a new theme every year.