Coastal Clean-Up 2024

The Department of Information Technology conducted a coastal clean-up at Wellawatte Beach as part of its community service initiatives on the 5th of October 2024. The project was organized in collaboration with the Students’ Association of Information Technology and Parley Sri Lanka. Over 120 volunteers, including department undergraduates and academic staff, participated in the event. Prof. Lasith Gunawardena, Mr. Devaka Punchihewa, Mr. Shantha Puhulwella, Mr. Prabhasara Athurupane, Mr. Kavinga Elamulla, Ms. Zikra Fazil, Ms. Upeksha Samarasinghe, and Mr. Thanuja Wickramanayaka from the Academic Staff joined the session. Special thanks to Ms. Semini Hasanthi for coordinating the project on behalf of Parley Sri Lanka. By the end of the project, more than 450 kg of plastic, polythene, glass, and other waste had been collected.

These pollutants entering the ocean originate from human activities not only along the coast but also further inland. No matter where we live—whether near the coast or far from it—we all contribute to the issue of ocean pollution and can also be part of the solution. Through this project, we aimed to help keep the oceans clean and raise awareness about ways to combat pollution, regardless of location. As a department, we intend to carry this initiative forward with these objectives in mind.