Bhubaneswar: Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a powerful sand art installation at Gopalpur beach using 500 kilograms of discarded plastic bottles, delivering a strong message against single-use plastic.
Sharing images of the artwork on social media, Pattnaik wrote, “500 kg of plastic bottles transformed into a powerful message from the sand — Say NO to single-use plastic. Save our planet.” The installation highlights the growing threat of plastic pollution to oceans, marine life, and coastal ecosystems.
Set against the Bay of Bengal, the artwork draws attention to how plastic waste discarded by humans eventually returns through polluted waters, damaged marine biodiversity, and environmental degradation. Pattnaik’s creation serves as both a visual protest and a call for behavioural change.
The artist underscored Odisha’s long-standing cultural respect for “Jala, Jangal and Jameen”—water, forests and land—urging people to protect natural resources that sustain livelihoods and define the state’s identity. He stressed that beaches, seas and coastal communities are directly affected by unchecked plastic use.
Environmentalists have welcomed the initiative, calling it a timely reminder of the urgent need to reduce plastic consumption and promote sustainable alternatives. Pattnaik’s sand art reinforces the message that environmental protection is a shared responsibility.
The installation calls on citizens to turn awareness into action and make rejecting single-use plastic a daily habit, emphasizing that safeguarding the coast today is essential for preserving the planet for future generations.
-OdishaAge
