Bengaluru’s historic Kadlekai Parishe ends with estimated 12 lakh visitors; generates 105 tonnes of waste

The historical Kadalekai Parishe, Bengaluru’s iconic yearly groundnut fair, concluded aft 5 days with an estimated footfall of astir 12 lakh visitors, according to Minister for Transport and Muzrai Ramalinga Reddy.

This twelvemonth marked the archetypal clip the accepted seed festival was extended to 5 days.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Reddy said, “According to constabulary estimates, astir 3 lakh radical visited connected Friday alone, and astir 12 lakh radical attended implicit the five-day period. This year, the lawsuit was held for 5 days alternatively of the accustomed two.”

Cleaning drive

He added that with the festival ending connected Friday, a monolithic cleaning thrust would beryllium taken up connected Friday nighttime and Saturday to wide the roads and temple surroundings.

“Daily cleaning was carried retired during the lawsuit arsenic well. To explicit our gratitude to each the agencies progressive successful making the lawsuit a success, we volition clasp a ballot of acknowledgment lawsuit connected Monday for officials from assorted departments, including Greater Bengaluru Authority, Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bescom, and the police,” Mr. Reddy said.

Low-value plastic

While the Kadlekai Parishe was expected arsenic a cleanable and plastic-free lawsuit this year, the five-day festival, which concluded connected November 21, generated astir 105 tonnes of waste. This included 45 tonnes of bedewed waste, 40 tonnes of low-value integrative (LVP), and 20 tonnes of mixed waste. 

To uphold the event’s eco-friendly goals, the Muzrai Department, successful collaboration with NGOs, organised consciousness campaigns urging shopkeepers and visitors to debar integrative and usage cloth bags instead. 

However, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) recovered visitors violating the rules and took strict enactment against single-use plastics, registering 205 cases and imposing fines totalling ₹65,000. Additionally, 250 kg of single-use integrative (SUP) items were seized during inspections.