The quantity of waste generated from city beaches reduced this Kaanum Pongal, with a significant reduction in plastic waste. When compared to around 50 tonnes collected after Kaanum Pongal in the previous years, the civic body and the private conservancy operator reportedly collected just around 16 tonnes of waste from the Marina, and 10 tonnes from Elliot’s beach.
Over 15.8 tonnes of municipal solid waste was collected from the Marina beach, on the night of Kaanum Pongal. “Over 120 conservancy workers cleaned the beach on the night of Kaanum Pongal. Plastic waste has reduced this year. Most waste collected this year was biodegradable. We collect around eight tonnes from the Marina every day. It increased by just around eight tonnes this Kaanum Pongal,” said an official.
Officials attributed the reduction in plastic waste to the successful implementation of the ban on plastics in the city. In addition to workers of the private conservancy operator, the Chennai Corporation had to deploy additional manpower on Kaanum Pongal day to clear the waste.
At Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar, the civic body collected around 10 tonnes of waste the night of Kaanum Pongal. The city generated around 4,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste after Kaanum Pongal.
Many Corporation parks were illuminated on the occasion, attracting a number of people. “The waste generated in each park doubled this Kaanum Pongal, but plastic waste reduced significantly,” said an official.
