Ganesh idol immersion generates 20,000 tons of waste, equal to eight times city’s daily garbage

Hyderabad saw a record 3.03 lakh Ganesh idols immersed, causing nearly 20,000 tonnes of waste. GHMC sanitation workers faced challenges clearing it, eight times the normal daily waste. Environmentalists urge eco-friendly idols and better waste disposal methods

Hyderabad: During the Ganesh idol main immersion, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) cleared around 20,000 tonnes of waste, almost eight times the average daily waste quantity generated in the city.

The GHMC sanitation wing reported clearing 20,000 tonnes of waste from immersions held in artificial ponds, major and minor water bodies apart from Hussain Sagar.

---

On average, the GHMC collected between 1,500 and 1,600 tonnes of waste generated on September 6 and 7 from the immersion sites and transferred it to the Jawahar Nagar dumping yard.

“The GHMC sanitation workers faced significant challenges in collecting a large volume of waste, resulting in strain on the city’s waste management systems,” a senior GHMC official told ‘Telangana Today’.

City-based environmentalists advocate more use of eco-friendly materials in idol making and improved waste disposal practices to mitigate adverse effects on water bodies.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad witnessed a record Ganesh idol immersion this year, with 3.03 lakh idols being immersed across various water bodies, artificial ponds, and Hussain Sagar. The Khairatabad zone had the highest number of idols immersed, with 79,217 idols.