TIRUCHY: Even as the stream of visitors to the Amma Mandapam ghat here for performing tharpanam (rituals for the deceased) continued a day after Aadi Amavasai, some of them, unmindful of the corporation’s request, disposed of their wet clothes into the Cauvery, raising concerns. However, few stepped in to collect the floating garments. While these ragpickers and fishermen indulge in the cleaning activity, they say it would take several years before pilgrims’ attitude -- who consider leaving back the clothes in the river as part of rituals -- can be changed.
Arasan, who was found collecting and drying the clothes left behind in the ghat by pilgrims, said, "I have been doing this for the past 20 years. Though the corporation makes announcements appealing against it, some would continue to dispose of clothes in the waterbody. We would swim and collect them as they would offer us a means of livelihood. We don't know when the disposal of clothes in the river
after rituals would completely stop. We are, however, not worried as the river has offered some means of livelihood all these years."
After the Aadi season, ragpickers like Arasan would resume waste collection from city streets. Palani, a fisherman, who was also collecting the clothes, said that he would buy gifts from the small earnings.
"Recyclers from Madurai and Chennai would come to collect the clothes. Some of us would collect 15 kg to 25 kg of it. Usually, we would earn around `1500 from selling it. With this money, I would buy some
gifts for my daughter. Even if people don't change their attitude, the corporation doesn’t have to worry about clothes left behind in the waterbody as we would continue to collect them. I keep doing it not just to buy gifts for my daughter but also to protect aquatic life as my life depends on the Cauvery," he
said.