Pune Ganpati Visarjan: SWaCH Waste-Pickers Collect 113 Tonnes Nirmalya

Pune, September 4, 2020: The SWaCH waste-pickers resolve to collect Nirmalya directly from the doorstep resulted in diverting over 113 tonnes of wet Nirmalya directly for composting. This was despite the Corona pandemic impact.

The unique doorstep collection of Nirmalya on 24th, 28th, 30th August and 2nd September initiated by SWaCH – Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to enable proper disposal of the votive offerings of devotees this Ganesh festival has yielded rich dividends. The numbers speak for themselves with the total collection amounting to over 113 tonnes at first count.

With this unique initiative, citizens could handover Nirmalya to SWaCH waste pickers at their doorstep as per their schedule on any one of the specific dates. This would then be collected separately ensuring that it would not get mixed with any other waste. It would be handled and sent for organic composting separately as well. Not only did the spirit of the festival remained undimmed, but citizens also adopted more eco – friendly practices including immersion of smaller, self-crafted idols at home, keeping the decorations as ecofriendly as possible, and composting at home as well.

Appeals to the citizens had been sent out early and the information made available to all the citizens enabling mass participation says Saru Waghmare, a board member of SWaCH who has been part of this initiative in its new ‘Avatar’. “We have been part of the city’s Nirmalya collection and Visarjan for over a decade now. It was wonderful to be able to participate in this despite the COVID fear by creating this customized doorstep collection system” she says.

“We had appealed to over 30 lakh plus citizens we service – and explained how we would send Ganapati Bappa’s offerings to compost respectfully in separate special bags and citizens responded to our appeals”.

Every year waste-pickers of SWaCH in partnership with PMC, Cummins India, Emcure and Sudarshan Chemicals divert 100+ Tonnes of Nirmalya from our rivers towards composting. This year the fervor and the devotion remained undimmed but given the pandemic situation, there was no recourse to the Ganesh Visarjan immersion at riverside Ghats.

As essential workers in the new normal adhering to safety guidelines, SWaCH too has geared up to a new system to collect and facilitate the processing of the Nirmalya offerings.

Priya Kathuriya, SWaCH representative said, “Normally we would be at the ghats talking to citizens, being a part of their celebrations. It was a special experience to be part of each family’s celebration. This year we just strengthened that connect with citizens by collecting their Ganesh offerings at their doorstep. With PMC and Cummins India support, we had distributed 11,000 special bags to our network of 3500 waste pickers just for Nirmalya collection and requested citizens to hand over the Nirmalya offerings to their Door Step SWaCH waste-picker. The trust built up over the years has paid off and we have successfully diverted over 113 tonnes of wet Nirmalya for organic composting. That we could do it in the pandemic situation speaks volumes about the SWaCH – PMC – Citizens model.”

Previously, urging citizens to stay safe during the Ganesh celebrations, the Mayor of Pune City Murlidhar Mohol had outlined the guidelines issued by the PMC that would enable a happy and safe festival. Stating that the Ganesh festival has been a very important part of Pune’s tradition and culture, he underlined how safety was of prime importance in the correct situation. From Visarjan from the safety of your homes to the doorstep handover of Nirmalya to SWaCH waste pickers, he had outlined the guidelines for all aspects of the celebration of this beloved Pune festival.

DS Molak, Jt. Commissioner PMC who ensured all logistics were in place for a safe celebration expressed happiness at the citizen participation in this new form of the Ganesh Visarjan. “Several citizens have expressed their satisfaction at this method we had set in place for this year’s Visarjan. The citizens handed over the Nirmalya to waste pickers and they, in turn, ensured it went separately to the right vehicles, deputed just for the Nirmalya. It was spread over the 10 days and very well coordinated. We are happy to have made it convenient for the citizens.”

Rajabai Sawant, a waste picker summed it up thus, “We have not missed a single year at the ghats during Visarjan and this year it seemed like our faith to the festival and the city would be put to the test as no one could be at the ghats. But this doorstep collection and the interaction with citizens, no matter how brief or masked, gave us a way to preserve the spirit of it all. We could ensure that Nirmalya stays separate and goes for organic composting as always. The system matters not just to us but all because it enabled everyone to process their Nirmalya respectfully. The elderly and those at risk could complete their celebrations as always, knowing that they could be safe in their homes. Essential workers are essential to celebrations of faith too. We are there at the finish lines to ensure a safe and happy celebration. We are grateful we could be part of this as we all adapt to the new normal”.