Bhubaneswar: In a bid to maintain cleanliness during the upcoming Durga Puja festivities, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed 300 additional sanitary workers, supplementing the existing workforce of 2,000. The move aims to ensure that the pandals and their surrounding areas remain spotless throughout the celebrations.
To manage the disposal of puja flower waste efficiently, the civic body has also introduced small vehicles dedicated to transporting waste to processing units. Depending on the volume of waste and crowd movement, larger vehicles may be rerouted to assist in waste management.
“There are a total of 171 pandals across the city. Most pandals will have two sanitation staff, while smaller ones will be assigned one worker. These sanitation teams will regularly clean waste generated near pandals and food kiosks. In line with the civic body’s zero-waste littering policy, no waste will be permitted to accumulate,” said BMC Joint Commissioner Kailash Chandra Das.
Further measures include instructing puja committees to install dustbins near pandals. Food stalls and stationery shops have been directed to maintain their own dustbins. Sanitation workers will collect waste from these bins and transfer it to designated vehicles.
The BMC’s proactive steps aim to ensure a clean and safe environment for residents and visitors during the festival period.
