What happened: launch of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 (SSSS v.5.0)

Dr Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, launched the 5th edition of “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026: SSSS v.5.0”. The launch announcement was made by the Ministry of Earth Sciences on 2 September 2026. The Ministry framed the movement as a nationwide, citizen-led ocean conservation effort designed to keep beaches clean.

What happened: key plan and activities announced for 12–19 September 2026

The Ministry of Earth Sciences announced that Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 will be conducted as a week-long celebration from 12 September to 19 September 2026. The event plan includes beach cleanup drives, youth and community activities, and digital pledge participation.

The Ministry highlighted the following elements of SSSS v.5.0:

Dates: 12–19 September 2026 (week-long celebration).Beach clean-up scale: major beach clean-up drives across 100+ locations.Citizen engagement formats: human chain, cycling rallies, marathons, and other citizen activities.Youth engagement: first-ever national Ocean Olympiad.Digital participation: ocean conservation pledge, SSSS v.5.0 website, introductory video, and activity schedule videos.