Overview

• PMC says it collected 876 tonnes of nirmalya this year, including 619 tonnes on Anant Chaturdashi and 161 tonnes on Gauri Visarjan, up from 706 tonnes in 2024 and 627 tonnes in 2023.
• More than 400 SWaCH waste pickers staffed over 50 immersion sites, collecting 114 tonnes of offerings and recovering 39 tonnes of dry waste for handover to PMC.
• PCMC reports 256.17 tonnes gathered between August 27 and September 7, with the material slated for compost production.
• Despite Nirmalya Kalash and other facilities at immersion points, residents and activists documented devotees throwing floral waste directly into rivers and canals.
• SWaCH cautioned that PMC’s proposed mechanised door-to-door garbage collection could displace thousands of waste pickers who support these drives.