Erode Corporation begins clearing garbage piled up after puja celebrations

Erode Corporation clears post-Ayudha Puja garbage, including banana stems and mango leaves, to ensure city cleanliness.

The Erode Corporation on Saturday began clearing tonnes of garbage, including banana stems and mango leaves, that had accumulated across the city following Ayudha puja celebrations.

Temporary shops selling puja essentials were set up in residential areas, arterial roads and marketplaces across the city ahead of Friday’s Ayudha Puja celebrations. However, with untimely rain hampering sales, vendors discarded unsold banana stems and mango leaves on the streets, while taking back ash gourds and coconuts. By Saturday morning, streets across the city were littered with unsold puja items.

Conservancy workers spent the day removing banana stems and mango leaves, and an official stated that all garbage would be cleared within two days. Areas like R.K.V. Road, Gandhiji Road, Kalaimadu Silai, Sampath Nagar, Periyar Nagar, Nasiyanur Road and Poondurai Road reported the highest accumulation of discarded puja items. The official noted that the priority was to clear market areas and arterial roads before focusing on residential zones.

A conservancy worker at Moolapalayam explained that despite warnings, coconuts and ash gourds had been smashed on the roads by businesses and residents. The worker emphasised the urgency of clearing these items, as the rainy weather had made the broken coconuts and ash gourds a hazard for motorists.