The Indian Express 20.09.2013
PMC initiative pays off, 2 lakh idols immersed in water tanks
Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) joint initiative with social
organisations and citizens groups has yielded good result as citizens
preferred to immerse Ganesh idols in civic water tanks than in water
bodies across the city.
Of the 3.57 lakh idols immersed in the city, over two lakh were
at civic facilities. These included 1.59 lakh in the concrete tanks
constructed by civic body at various locations while 44,000 in steel
water tanks. Around 59,000 idols were immersed in river, 52,000 at
ghats, 38,000 in canals, 1,000 in wells and 500 in lakes.
The PMC had put up garbage containers at 99 locations in addition
to 97 specially designed containers across the city. The civic
administration collected 432 tonnes waste at the immersion locations and
it includes citizens’ participation in collection of 97 tonnes of
nirmalya before it could pollute the water body.
Around 125 wastepickers of SWaCH, cooperative of wastepickers,
with support of 400 volunteers, collected 97 tonnes of nirmalya at
various immersion spots, mostly alongside Mutha river. The volunteers
included school and college students, representatives of social
organisations and corporate sector. The waste collection continued
throughout the immersion period despite heavy rainfall.
The waste comprised paper, plastic, thermocol, flowers, coconuts,
fruits and cloth apart from idols made of sand and plaster of paris.
The SWaCH members part of door to door collection work have been
recovering organic and inorganic waste, and ensuring that it enters the
recycling stream. The bio degradable nirmalya is transported to
different agencies for processing into compost.
This year, bio-degradable nirmalya has been sent to various
locations for composting, including Kothrud Blind School, Dilasa School,
Sangam World Centre, Aundh Ramp, SWaCH offices in Kothrud and Katraj
Ramp.