A citizen-led Kolkata waste collection drive removed nearly 500kg of rubbish from the area around Elliot Park and towards Maidan Metro station on Sunday, highlighting the scale of litter accumulating in one of central Kolkata’s busiest public zones.
More than 45 volunteers from CleanUp Kolkata took part in the plogging drive, filling 130 large garbage bags over several hours. The waste included thermocol boxes, wired cables, discarded clothes, plastic and more than 100 liquor bottles, according to the group.
CleanUp Kolkata founder Sachin Bhagat said the volunteer response was encouraging, but the quantity of waste collected showed that the clean-up addressed only a small part of the problem. “We’re so proud of this team who take time out of their busy schedules and come every Sunday to clean the city. But at the same time, I’m very disheartened knowing that the work we did today was just 5-10%, and that place is still full of trash,” he said.
The group said large portions of the area between Elliot Park and Maidan Metro station remained littered after the drive. It plans to continue cleaning the stretch for at least three to four more weekends. Volunteers are scheduled to return next Sunday with gloves and sacks.
CleanUp Kolkata secretary Farha Parveen said the group had received repeated messages from residents about the accumulation of waste along the stretch. The volunteers said the location had become a dumping ground despite being close to a park, open spaces and a busy metro station.
The drive is part of a series of citizen-led clean-up efforts conducted by CleanUp Kolkata across the city. Earlier initiatives were held at Ahiritola ghat, Sovabazar ghat, Mullick ghat, Motijheel Bridge, Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar.
Bhagat said Subhas Sarobar would also need sustained cleaning efforts. He added that volunteer drives alone could not resolve the problem unless people stopped littering public places and municipal waste systems kept pace with the waste being generated. The Elliot Park clean-up is expected to continue over the coming weekends, according to the group.
