RAIPUR: Innovative minds do not let even gargage go waste as they create works of art and utility items from trash. Kachra Mahotsav, India’s first garbage festival organised in Chhattisgarh capital, celebrated this spirit of creativity as it showcased a variety of ways in which works of stunning originality as well as utility could be created out of waste, in the process inspiring people to reuse and recycle what they would normally throw away.
The four-day event, organised by Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC), included workshops, performances, exhibitions and theme-based installations. The RMC’s aim was to encourage and promote recycling and upcycling of waste generated in the city.
“Waste management is something we all essentially need to focus on. The environment and public health remain prime concerns. Kachra Mahotsav is one step in that direction, the objective being to showcase how garbage can be creatively utilised to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The event also highlighted issues such as social responsibility for all on hygiene, the environment and waste disposal,” said Rajat Bansal, RMC Commissioner and CEO of Raipur Smart City Ltd.
The festival, held from Janurary 19 to 21, also offered a platform to start-ups from across India in the fields of recycling and upcycling to exhibit and sell their products. Well-known brands such as Jugaad, Eirhino, Reimagined, Paper Story, and Kagaz Se, among others, had an array of home decor and utility items made from paper, tetrapacks, animal dung, forest waste, cotton scrap and fabric on display.
Workshops on gardening, composting, waste segregation and sustainable development were conducted by experts in the fields of recycling and upcycling.
Resonating with the theme of the festival, installations made from garbage and scrap material left the audience impressed. The installations highlighted enviro- nmental and health issues, showcased the rich tribal culture of Chhattisgarh. One even recreated the classic tale of Jungle Book.
The organisers had involved a pool of talent from across the country, including students from Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai, and Tejinder Singh and his team from Punjab. Internationally acclaimed bands like Dharavi Rocks from Mumbai and Thallavatam from Bangalore enthralled the audience with music played on plastic bottles, trash cans and old pipes.
The event also saw the awarding of ‘City Hygiene Awards’ that acknowledged the efforts of citizens, schools, hotels, housing societies and hospitals, among others, towards promoting cleanliness in the city.