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Volunteers in Pune ready to ensure Ganesh fest is a Swach celebration
Swach held their first orientation programme for volunteers who will help keep the ghats at Indradhanushya hall near Navi peth clean
Ahead of the 10-day Ganesh festival, to begin on September 2, Swach held their first orientation programme for volunteers who will help keep the ghats at Indradhanushya hall near Navi Peth clean.
Swach Nirmalaya collection drive this year will take place on 22 ghats in the city, including three ghats in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
“There were 150 volunteers and coordinators present for the first meeting and we are expecting more to join in by the beginning of the festival. This year we have also tied up with Jeevit Nadi, an NGO working for the betterment of rivers in the city,” says Priya Kathuriya of Swach.
Volunteers from Jeevitnadi will monitor the ghats at Aundhgaon and Vitthalwadi.
“We are also expecting more people to join us on the ghats during the visarjan on September 7 and September 12, for people often tend to give us a helping hand when they see the crowd. They also help in spreading awareness about segregation of waste and how it is harmful to environment, especially when people come closer to throw the final puja nirmalaya (offering) into the river,” says Kathuriya.
Mandals on till midnight for six days
The city administration is allowing all Ganpati mandals in the city to be open till midnight for six of the 10 days. This was allowed only for four days last year.
Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday held a meeting with district collector Naval Kishore Ram and K Venkatesham, Commissioner of Police, Pune to discuss about the preparedness regarding the festival and to announce the above.
As far as DJs and music systems are concerned, Patil said, “The administration is not against playing of the music systems completely, however, while doing so, it should be done within the permissible limits. If the limits are violated, the police department will take actions.”
