During the 10 days of Ganeshotsav, Navi Mumbai saw the collection of 63,695 kg of nirmalya floral offerings and organic waste from rituals. The highest collection occurred on the day of Gauri Visarjan, totaling 24 tons.
Day-Wise Collection Highlights
On the one-and-a-half-day immersion, 14,205 kg of nirmalya was gathered, followed by 10,980 kg on the fifth day and 14,070 kg on the seventh day. Detailed records of collection were maintained for every immersion day.
Dedicated Infrastructure for Eco-Friendly Practices
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) provided 22 natural lakes and 143 artificial ponds with collection urns (kalash) and vehicles for transporting nirmalya. Volunteers guided devotees to use the urns rather than immersing ceremonial waste directly into water bodies.
Awareness Campaigns and Citizen Participation
Repeated announcements and campaigns urged citizens to comply with eco-friendly immersion practices. Volunteers monitored immersion sites to prevent nirmalya from being discarded in lakes or ponds, ensuring the sanctity of offerings.
Conversion Into Organic Fertilizer
Collected nirmalya will now be scientifically processed into organic fertilizer. The resulting compost will be used to develop greenery in city gardens and public spaces. The NMMC received support from members of the Dr. Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan in implementing this initiative.
