GCC collects 34,748 MT waste and 87.32 MT unused materials during Pongal festival
As many as 87.32 MT unused materials were handed over to the conservancy workers from January 11 to January 13, noted a release from GCC
Greater Chennai Corporation (File Photo)
CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has collected 34,748 metric tons of solid waste during pongal from January 11 to 16. The local body intensifies the cleaning drive at city beaches during the weekends as more crowds are expected.
In preparation for the Pongal festival, public awareness was raised to avoid environmental pollution by encouraging citizens to hand over unused plastics, tires, old clothes, and other items to sanitation workers instead of burning as part of the tradition on Bhogi. As many as 87.32 MT unused materials were handed over to the conservancy workers from January 11 to January 13, noted a release from GCC.
Among these, a total of 31.79 metric tons of old clothes, 18.80 metric tons of tires and tubes, 24.14 metric tons of plastic items, and 12.31 metric tons of other items were collected in three days. Furthermore, the sanitary workers collected both wet and dry waste from households on Pongal, and ensured the city had been cleaned, and no waste was dumped on the roadside.
From January 11 to 16, a total of 34,748 metric tons of solid waste were collected and removed across the city. Of which, more than 15,000 metric tons of waste cleared before the pongal festival (from Jan 11 to 13). The highest amount of garbage was gathered on Pongal (Jan 14) with 6,233 metric tons. Similarly, over 5,000 MT waste were collected each on Thiruvalluvar day and Kannum pongal especially from beaches.