Clean up Clams

Clean-Up Clams is an initiative to address water pollution that I have ideated and launched in July 2024, in conjunction with a group of my school-mates.

Inspired by the Billion Oyster Project in Brooklyn, New York, I became deeply invested in trying to replicate the project in my home city Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The ongoing project in Brooklyn aims to restore oyster reefs to NY Harbor. The oysters also help in improving the water quality of the East River. Shellfish like oysters and clams are natural purifiers, as they absorb pollutants, improving the health and quality of the marine environment.

The lakes and ponds in Kolkata are generally highly polluted, with a high density of metallic contamination. After doing some research on the species of shellfish that could be used in Kolkata, we identified a specific clam species – Villorita cyprinoides – which Had the potential to survive within the conditions of Kolkata’s water bodies.

On behalf of my group, I presented this research to public officials in the Pollution Control Board (PCB), Government of West Bengal. Impressed by our idea to combat environmental degradation, the project was then handed over to Dr Rita Saha, a Marine Biologist working for the PCB. Under her supervision, we managed to get a team of Environmental Scientists, led by Professor Anupam Deb Sarkar from Jadavpur University involved in the project, and we conducted collaborative research on the feasibility of the introduction of the clams by testing them in a controlled site. Our research is soon going to be published.

The results revealed that the clams were better suited for water bodies with higher alkalinity located in Southern India. However, other species could be introduced in the lakes of West Bengal such as water hyacinths, which have the capability of absorbing 90-95% of the metallic pollutants. This research presents innovative methods to ameliorate the water quality in affected areas.

The project shows promise in improving water quality, with plans to expand to other states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu based on expert advice.