For the first time, Madurai Corporation authorities deployed ‘swachh police’ during the ongoing Chithirai festival to create awareness of the social and health implications of open defecation and educate devotees, especially those coming from other places, on using mobile toilets.
The Health officials had trained about 25 persons, who moved with the crowd and educated them on using the mobile toilets which have been installed in 35 locations along the Vaigai river bank three days ago. Using public address system, they appealed to the public not to defecate in the open, and also distributed pamphlets.
The civic body has deployed an exclusive team of 125 conservancy workers to clear litter on the ‘Kallazhagar route.’ The city already generates 650 tonnes of garbage on a normal day. “Areas in and around RR Mandapam, Gandhi Nagar, Kuruvikaran Salai, Tahsildar Nagar, Anna Nagar and Vandiyur were targeted from Wednesday morning.
As many devotees served free food at ‘mandahapadis,’ the leaves, plates and leftover food had to be cleared immediately. Likewise, toilets without water wewre checked and filled by special teams, said Parthiban, Assistant City Health officer, who went around inspecting the cleaning operation in Anna Nagar.
“The conservancy teams were split in such a way that one team was ahead of the deity to clean the spot, while another team followed behind so that the leftovers and other wastes were cleared,” he said.
Though the exact volume of additional garbage removed was not known immediately, staff at the Vellaikal yard said at least 50 lorries of waste were received in the last 30 hours.
Like the health wing officials, engineering and general maintenance staff too ensured that drinking water was available in all the tanks located in Vaigai river bank. As and when the tanks with a capacity of either 1,000 or 2,000 litres turned empty, the control room was informed and the tanks were refilled, Assistant Executive Engineer Manoharan said and added that the teams would continue to be on duty till Saturday when the deity leaves for his hill abode.
