Over 211 tonnes of garbage generated during Deepavali in Tiruchi

The Tiruchi Corporation launched a special drive on Friday to clear heaps of firecracker debris and plastic waste left on commercial streets and residential areas of the city after Thursday’s Deepavali celebrations

The Tiruchi Corporation launched a special drive on Friday to clear heaps of firecracker debris and plastic waste left on commercial streets and residential areas of the city after Thursday’s Deepavali celebrations.

Around 211 tonnes of garbage was lifted during the drive carried out from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., in addition to about 470 tonnes of solid waste generated on a daily basis. As many as 46 workers were engaged in the special drive. Apart from that about 1,680 sanitation workers were involved in daily door-to-door garbage collection.

Around 20 vehicles, including light commercial vehicles, excavators and trucks, were engaged in garbage collection on Friday, in addition to the 222 minitrucks and 152 battery-operated vehicles used for daily waste collection.

Mounds of cracker debris, plastics used for packing crackers, sweet boxes, leftover food, and domestic waste, were removed from residential and commercial areas in all 65 wards of the city.

According to an official source, Zone 1 generated more garbage than other zones. A huge quantity of plastics and papers were generated on commercial streets and residential areas, including N.S.B. Road, Singarathope, Teppakulam, Big Bazaar Street, Main Guard Gate, Chathiram Bus Stand, East Boulevard Road, Thennur, and Cantonment.

“The collected waste was segregated into recyclable and non-recyclable waste and would be sent out to recycling units and cement factories for processing. Cracker waste removed from the roads was sprinkled with water to prevent them from catching fire,” said a senior Corporation official.

The garbage on main roads and commercial streets had been cleared as the entire strength of sanitation workers was involved in the work on Friday. However, sporadic rain in several areas disrupted effective clearance of waste.