After every celebration comes a quiet but important job cleaning up. Following the grand Chhath Puja celebrations in Mumbai, the city’s beaches, especially Dadar, turned into scenes of intense clean-up work. As devotees headed home after offering prayers to the setting and rising sun, hundreds of municipal workers and volunteers began their task of restoring the coastline.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) deployed a large team of sanitation staff to clear the floral offerings, leftover decorations, and other waste that had gathered along the shore. Trucks, tractors, and cleaning machines were brought in early morning to make sure the beach was restored to its natural state as quickly as possible.
According to officials, thousands of devotees visited Dadar Beach and other spots across the city to celebrate Chhath Puja this year. The scale of the event meant that the amount of waste left behind was equally large. The BMC had already planned ahead by placing extra dustbins, temporary toilets, and artificial ponds at several locations to manage the crowd and reduce the load on the beaches.
However, even with preventive steps, a big clean-up operation was needed after the rituals ended. Workers were seen collecting heaps of flowers, fruits, and bamboo structures that were used in the puja. Volunteers from local groups and NGOs also joined in, helping remove offerings and separating biodegradable materials from plastic waste.
For the sanitation staff, this post-festival work has become routine. Each year, they take on the responsibility of cleaning the city after major religious and public events. Their efforts often go unnoticed, but they play a key role in keeping Mumbai’s public spaces clean and safe.
Environmental experts say that while festivals are a vital part of Mumbai’s cultural life, better awareness and waste management can reduce pollution. They recommend encouraging devotees to use biodegradable materials and avoid plastic bags, bottles, and wrappers.
The Chhath clean-up also shows how civic responsibility and community participation can work together. Many residents near Dadar Beach praised the speed and efficiency of the workers and volunteers who made sure the beach was spotless within hours.
Mumbai’s beaches see countless festivals every year, from Ganesh immersions to Chhath Puja. Each time, after the lights and songs fade, a quiet group of workers ensures that the beauty of the city’s coastline remains. Their dedication reminds everyone that cleanliness is as much a part of celebration as devotion itself.
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