PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
As the Kanwad Yatra has come to an end with about five crore Shiva devotees having collected Ganga jal and left for their destinations, the Municipal Corporation, Haridwar faces the challenge of disposing of a huge amount of garbage left behind by them. As per the civic body’s estimation, nearly 7,000 metric tons of garbage will be collected from the Kanwad Mela area.
Speaking of the matter, the municipal commissioner Nandan Kumar, however, stated that the task ahead of them is not that tough. “The city generates approximately 2,000 metric tons of garbage over a normal fortnight. Therefore, approximately 5,000 metric tons of additional waste has been generated during the Kanwad Mela, in addition to the normal waste. We have already made preparations for waste disposal. Along with the cleanliness of the Kanwad Mela area, special attention was also paid to collecting and segregating waste,” he added.
According to the municipal commissioner, useful materials, including clothes, have already been separated from the garbage. “This will make the subsequent waste disposal process relatively easier. Now, our priority is to completely clean the Mela area and restore normal sanitation. To this end, a campaign is being launched by mobilising sanitation workers and resources,” Kumar stated.
The civic body further claimed that the cleanliness arrangements made by them have helped the Mela area remain open defecation free. “The toilets, installed in the fair area, appeared completely clean because of the deployment of the adequate number of sanitation staff. On the other hand, the Ganga branch of Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan also did commendable work for sewage disposal,” the corporation sources said.
