MCH to distribute compostable garbage bags to ensure cleanliness during Kanwad Yatra
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Haridwar (MCH) has started distributing compostable garbage bags to more than 500 shops for Kanwad Yatra which will be used by shopkeepers on the days when garbage collection vehicles cannot reach crowded areas.
The corporation aims to distribute over 10,000 bags to 500 shopkeepers who will collect their waste in these bags and municipal workers will later transport them to the designated waste disposal points. The Haridwar additional municipal commissioner Deepak Goswami said that the corporation has introduced this initiative as part of its plan to address the recurring issue of waste management during the annual Kanwad Mela.
In previous years, the corporation observed that garbage collection trucks could not operate effectively sometimes in certain areas due to extremely dense crowds of devotees that often led to waste accumulation and sanitation challenges. He said that to address this, the corporation on Thursday began distributing 20 compostable garbage bags to each shop in zones expected to witness heavy footfall.
This arrangement is designed to keep the waste management system running smoothly, even when vehicle access is blocked by crowds. These bags are biodegradable and will help manage waste in an environmentally safe manner, he added. Goswami said that this new system is expected to ensure cleanliness during the Kanwad Yatra and raise awareness among the public and vendors about responsible waste handling.
The MCH continues to work on sustainable solutions to maintain order and hygiene during large gatherings and religious events. He stated that the corporation will also use drone technology to monitor the cleanliness arrangements during the Kanwad Yatra for the first time with the aim to ensure real-time surveillance of the city’s ghats and surrounding areas. These methods are aimed to maintain the corporation’s standards during high-pressure periods like Kanwad Yatra, he added.
