Now, drop pooja material in kalash

Indore: Taking a cue from Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has decided to install kalash (urn) near water bodies to collect ‘puja samagri’ (worship material) to help in reducing water pollution.IMC commissioner Harshika Singh on Thursday took stock of sanitation work being carried out on RRCAT campus and appreciated the efforts being made there to conserve water bodies, making compost out of green waste and making bio-CNG using wet waste. On Wednesday, RRCAT was adjudged as one of the winners of IMC monthly cleanliness ranking for the month of February.She also saw ‘kalash’ placed near the ponds that are meant to dump puja material in it and instructed IMC officials to place similar big urns near the water bodies across the city.This is however not the first time when IMC has decided to discourage people from throwing worshipping material, including flowers, incense ashes, packets and wrappers, cotton, earthen lamps, and food offerings into the water bodies. Last year. ‘nirmalya kund’ (containers made out of cement that usually used in houses as water tanks) were placed near the water bodies and noted places of worship, including Khajrana Ganesh and Ranjeet Hanuman Mandir for recycling and making compost.“Look wise, kalash are very good comparing to nirmalya kund. Kalash are covered with a lid placed upon it,” IMC chief health officer Dr Akhilesh Upadhyay said adding that the kalash are expected to encourage devotees to dump worship items in it. “People, following their religious belief, used to hesitate to dump worship material in cement-made containers, which are open, vulnerable and are easily in reach of animals and birds, but it will not be the case with kalash,” Upadhyay explained.With Swachh Survekshan 2023 expected in July, the commissioner also visited banks of rivers flowing through the city. While taking stock at Krishnapura Kshatri, Gangaur Ghat, Ram Mandir Ghat and Piliyakhal Ghat, the commissioner instructed officials concerned for cleaning of mud along with carrying out painting and beautification work there.