Chennai, Sept 22:
The Greater Chennai Corporation has cleared more than 139 tonnes of waste from five designated idol immersion points in Chennai following the three-day Vinayagar Chathurthi immersion programme.
A total of 11,653 idols were immersed between September 19 and 21 at Pallavakkam, Pattinapakkam, Kasimedu, Thiruvottiyur and Ennore. The civic body said 139,635 kg of waste was collected from the immersion locations.
The waste included nearly 84.7 tonnes of wooden pallets used for transporting and placing the idols, besides flower waste, wet waste, dry waste and food waste. Flower waste accounted for about 16.4 tonnes, while dry and other waste amounted to more than 33.5 tonnes.
Pattinapakkam recorded the highest number of immersions, with 6,479 idols and around 37.5 tonnes of waste collected. Pallavakkam saw only 704 idols immersed, but recorded the highest quantity of waste at around 78 tonnes, largely because of the 57 tonnes of wooden pallets cleared from the site.
The Corporation deployed earthmovers, excavators, tractors, tippers and battery-operated vehicles along with sanitary workers for the immersion arrangements and subsequent cleaning. At Pattinapakkam alone, seven earthmovers and excavators, 11 tractors, 11 tippers and 12 battery-operated vehicles were deployed, officials said.
The cleanup operation comes after the three-day immersion exercise at designated coastal locations, with civic authorities continuing to clear the sites and remove the accumulated waste.