Mumbai, Oct. 29 -- The Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) has collected around 7,000 t of flower waste generated during Ganesh Chaturthi and Bathukamma celebrations and sent it for recycling. The material is being processed into incense sticks and dhoop sticks as part of an initiative carried out with Pakka Organics.
The civic body separately collected flowers offered during religious ceremonies and those brought with Ganesh idols for immersion. Designated collection centres were used to prevent the material from mixing with regular garbage and to enable its transfer for processing into organic products.
MMC Commissioner Vinay Krishna Reddy said the scientific collection and recycling programme had supported environmental protection and reduced the pressure on municipal waste management. The initiative is intended to convert waste generated during religious events and festivals into useful resources through reuse and recycling.
Sanitation Additional Commissioner Raghu Prasad said approximately 7,000 t had been collected under the programme. More than 6,400 t came from Ganesh immersion celebrations, while around 400 t was collected during Bathukamma.
MMC and Pakka Organics established special kiosks at major immersion points, including Safilguda Lake and other prominent locations, to facilitate collection. Flowers offered at religious ceremonies and those accompanying Ganesh idols were deposited separately at the centres before being sent for further processing.
Pakka Organics dries the collected flowers and converts them into powder. The powder is mixed with herbs, natural resins, wood powders and plant-based binders to manufacture incense and dhoop sticks. The corporation said the programme also promoted waste segregation, resource recovery and public participation in sustainable waste management.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.