Along with the Greater Chennai Corporation and Chennai City Police, Kapaleecharam Committee (KC) is taking the lead in organising Panguni festival of Sri Kapali Temple and ensuring the mada streets remain litter-free, especially after Annadhanam.
Every year, following the festival, the Chennai Corporation and volunteers face a Herculean task clearing this section of waste, especially food waste.
In 2017, members of Kapaleecharam Committee, a people’s federation formed under the aegis of Mylapore Residents Welfare Association (MRWA), raised awareness among vendors and devotees to reduce food wastage.
Here is the elaborate plan they have inked in for this year.
* Like last year, an autorickshaw will ply around the streets of Mylapore, Mandeveli and Raja Annamalaipuram, playing songs and messages, requesting the public to reduce food wastage and throw garbage in designated bins.
* Banners and posters too will be placed across the streets, after approvals from the Chennai Corporation and City Police, to exhort vendors under the Annadhanam committee to avoid thermocol and plastic disposables.
* The KC is working with Ramky to increase the number of bins across mada streets to ensure quick removal of garbage.
“Last year, Ramky’s vehicle was not allowed into the area earmarked to conduct the festival due to traffic restrictions. This year, we are taking special permission to allow a vehicle to enter the area and clear the garbage every one hour, so that it does not pile up till night,” says K.L. Bala, a KC member.
* KC Volunteers will place eco-friendly, recyclable bags at multiple locations to collect waste.
* As a backup plan, KC will source recyclable items such as plates and spoons in bulk to distribute to people as part of the Annadhanam. “We want to keep things handy. If a person requires plates, we will give these biodegradable plates on the spot, free of cost,” he adds.
Volunteers invited
In addition to its members, Thooimai-Padai (Go Clean-Green Warriors), the volunteer group of KC, also comprises various residents welfare associations. They are invite more volunteers to request devotees to dispose plates in garbage bins and donors to regulate the quantity of food, as well as to clean the littered areas. For participation, call Bala at 7010848668.
