Chennai mobilises 600 workers to manage Deepavali firecracker waste

The Greater Chennai Corporation's Solid Waste Management Department has initiated a citywide initiative to clear firecracker waste from public spaces, roads and stormwater drains during the Deepavali festival season. Under the oversight of Corporation Commissioner G S Sameeran, the civic body has mobilised 600 conservancy workers and 350 vehicles to manage the anticipated surge in festive debris.

As part of the drive, the Corporation has distributed 30,000 collection bags with a 50-kilogram capacity each to frontline workers. These designated bags will be used for the separate collection of firecracker residue, enabling safer handling and disposal protocols across the city.

Residents and administrators of residential complexes have been instructed to segregate firecracker waste from regular household garbage, keeping it separate from both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste streams. The Corporation has classified bulk waste generators in residential complexes as key participants in this segregation effort, requiring them to hand over firecracker waste separately to conservancy workers.

The initiative reflects the Corporation's broader commitment to maintaining urban sanitation standards during major festivals while minimising environmental and public health risks associated with firecracker residue.