Thirunavaya: Even as lakhs of devotees converged on Thirunavaya for the Kumbh Mela, the banks and riverbed of the Nila stayed remarkably clean, sustained by the tireless work of the Haritha Karma Sena.

Beginning January 22, more than 30 Haritha Karma Sena volunteers from the Thirunavaya panchayat were stationed at the venue for the duration of the grand fair, which concluded on Tuesday.

Throughout the event, organisers issued strict instructions urging visitors not to dump plastic or any other waste into the river or its surroundings. Posters promoting green protocols were displayed at multiple locations across the venue, while frequent announcements reinforced the message.

Sevabharati workers, who volunteered for duty during the event, also repeatedly reminded devotees of the need to follow these guidelines. Despite these efforts, some visitors left behind plastic bottles at various spots, which were promptly collected by the Haritha Karma Sena. After concluding their night services, Sevabharati volunteers also conducted searches along the length of the river, collected plastic waste, and handed it over to the sanitation workers.

Apart from plastic bottles, footwear, clothing, paper and other waste materials were retrieved from the river and its surroundings. In all, more than a thousand sacks of waste were collected in and around the event venue. The entire quantity has now been shifted to the panchayat’s waste collection centre, where it will be segregated and handed over to different agencies for processing.