Krishna Pushkaralu: 18,000 metric tonnes of solid waste generated

While the Krishna Pushkaralu may have ended without any major incidents in Andhra, it has reportedly left a big burden on the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to clear the waste left behind by pilgrims.

The New Indian Express reported:

About 18,000 metric tonnes of solid waste has been generated at the four major bathing ghats and twenty Pushkar Nagars during the river festival, in addition to the 550 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day generated in 59 divisions in the city...In all, 21,000 sanitary workers were deputed on special duties round-the-clock to remove the solid waste and clean up the ghats. 

The waste mostly consists of plastic bottles, water sachets, flowers and residue from the offerings made to the gods during the festival.

“In the absence of designated dumping yard, the VMC had dumped the solid waste at Sriram energy plant at Ajith Singh Nagar and Pathapadu dumping yard. We are planning to segregate the wastes now as plastics and non-plastics. Our idea is to recycle all the plastic wastes, while the dry waste will be incinerated,” VMC commissioner G Veerapandian told TNIE.

This comes shortly after the state was criticized for its expenditure on the festival despite being cash-strapped.

On Friday, the BJP which is also an ally of the ruling TDP, demanded a white paper on the expenditure incurred. 

“How can a cash-strapped State spend a staggering Rs.1,600 crore on the river festival after spending Rs.1, 800 crore during Godavari Mahapushkaram last year. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should realise that he is leading a truncated State after bifurcation with huge revenue deficit and focus on financial prudence and prioritising of expenditure," BJP State General Secretary S Suresh Reddy  said.