Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Waste workers of the Swachh cooperative collected 114 tonnes of the Nirmalya during the Ganesh Visarjan procession on Saturday. A press statement issued by the Cooperative said the collected Nirmalaya (flowers leaves etc offered to Lord Ganesh) was handed over to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for its Nirmalaya to Nisarg initiative.
Over the last 15 years, waste workers of Swachh have been participating in Ganesh Visarjan at the ghats of Pune. The waste workers were present at the Ghat on both September 2- the day of Gauri Visarjan- as well as September 8 the day of Ganesh immersion. Waste workers were present at more than 50 immersion sites and centers. Additionally 39 tonnes of dry waste was collected separately. The sorted Nirmalya was then handed over to PMC.
The process saw workers collecting and sorting Nirmalya like flowers, garlands, coconuts and durva alongside other dry waste like plastic bags, decorations and sweet boxes.
This initiative started in 2009 at some ghats but since then has grown in magnitude and quantum. Workers have been present at the ghats and urged devotees to hand over the Nirmalyas to them instead of immersing the same into the water bodies.
This year, the workers were supported by P N Gadgil and Sons in their initiatives. “Additionally the waste workers were appreciated by citizens, corporators and others,” the release said. At present the proposed mechanized collection of garbage proposed by the PMC threatens the livelihood of thousands of waste workers engaged in the process of waste collections.
“The proposed door-to-door, mechanised garbage collection system by the Pune Municipal Corporation endangers the jobs of thousands of waste pickers. This system risks dismantling the Swachh cooperative model and could leave waste pickers out of the system once again. Even in such a situation, the Swachh waste pickers took responsibility for creating an environment friendly Ganeshotsav, making their participation even more inspiring this year,’’ the release read.
