Punaravartan collects 12 tons of clay sludge after Ganesh idol immersions in Pune

By: Pune pulse 

October 11, 2023

Pune: In the fourth year of the campaign, the Punaravartan campaign successfully gathered a total of 12 tonnes of clay sludge after Ganesh idol immersion solely in Pune City. Additionally, collections in various other cities, such as Pimpri Chinchwad, Thane, Nasik, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore, have amounted to approximately 5 tons.

The Punaravartan campaign aims to achieve a waste-free Ganesh Utsav by encouraging devotees to return the clay sludge after immersing clay idols. The collected clay is then reused by artisans to create new Ganesh idols the following year.

This year, the campaign was led by the Ecoexist Foundation and implemented by the Poornam Ecovision Foundation and the Swach Cooperative. Additionally, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Solid Waste Management teams were involved in the campaign.

Following a training session organized by Punaravartan, efforts were made to collect clay sludge from 45 locations in the city. Approximately 2.5 to 3 tons of clay were collected from public immersion tanks, while 9 tons were collected from individual homes. The response from individuals and families was highly encouraging, as many citizens signed up to donate their clay. Various societies, schools, and local citizen groups, such as the Bavdhan Citizens Forum, took responsibility for collecting clay from their respective networks.

The PMC’s education department organized a training session for all PMC schools regarding Punaravartan, and over 80 private schools were informed about the campaign with the support of the Pune Climate Warriors. Youth across Maharashtra were educated about the potential of clay recycling through the MYCA – Maharashtra Youth for Climate Action program, which is a collaboration between CEE and UNESCO. Architecture colleges also registered their students to learn about the use of recycled clay in construction.

Student volunteers were stationed at over 60 collection centers during the festival to receive clay from citizens. The relatively cleaner clay collected from individual homes will be sent to artisans in the city free of charge for reuse. The clay sludge from public immersion tanks, which is a mixed material, will be used for experiments in mud building. The success of this project can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of approximately 25 NGO partners in Pune City who come together each year to raise awareness. Pune City has taken a significant step towards achieving a waste-free Ganesh Utsav.

Speaking to Pune Pulse, Omkar Salunkhe, an artisan, added, ”A total of 32 tonnes of clay soil has been gathered this year, which will be utilized in the creation of various idols for next year’s Ganesh Utsav festival. This commendable practice not only aids in waste reduction but also promotes the celebration of festivals in an environmentally conscious manner.”

Speaking to Munira Phaltanwala, a member of the Punaravartan core team, ”Approximately 200 volunteers collaborated to gather clay from 60 collection centers. Additionally, a number of volunteers stationed themselves at PMC immersion sites to promote the donation of clay by citizens.” 

Madhupriya Dhanwate