Around 3,500kg waste collected during Ganga ghat clean-up

Patna: Following the conclusion of the four-day Chhath, approximately 3,500 kilograms of waste was collected from the stretch between JP Setu and Digha ghats (gate numbers 83 to 93) in Patna during a massive clean-up under Namami Gange programme, being executed by Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation.The initiative, spearheaded by Subham Kumar, brand ambassador for the Namami Gange programme, saw members of his organisation, along with volunteers from JD Women’s College and RPS Women’s College, clearing post-festival debris.Kumar said that the highest concentration of waste was found at Ghat number 90. “The first and last ghats had maximum police supervision, while the ones in the middle had comparatively less patrolling, which is why the crowd got out of control there a bit,” he complained.The recovered materials were primarily non-biodegradable products, including polythene sheets, brought by devotees to sit on, as well as plastic cups and packets.Officials, however, reported a noticeable decrease in pollution and waste generation this year compared with previous Chhath celebrations. The improvement was largely credited to heightened public awareness, aided by a mass public awareness programme conducted on ‘kharna’, which helped popularise the use of artificial ponds, and prevented a large volume of pollutants from entering the Ganga.All collected waste was transported to Patna Municipal Corporation Material Recovery Facility at Gardanibagh, where it will be segregated and sent to appropriate centres for recycling.