NSS volunteers of Kannada Sangha Pune’s Kaveri College of Arts, Science and Commerce, in collaboration with ‘Punarvartan Pune’, organized a clay campaign. In this campaign, volunteers collected clay from Ganesh idols after immersion at various locations across Pune. These locations included Z.P. School Shivane, Datta Mandir Warje, Shahu Udyan Jalataran Kendra, Cummins Company Gate No. 1, Dashabhuja Ganpati Marg, Sahakar Nagar, Vriddheshwar Siddheshwar Ghat, Vakeshwar Ganapati Mandir Ghat, Gokhale Nagar, Bhusari Colony, and Kalpana Chawla School. The clay collected by the volunteers was returned for reuse in the Punarvartan campaign.
To address environmental concerns, the campaign promoted the recycling of shadu clay from idols, with many NSS volunteers participating to raise awareness about using eco-friendly Ganesh idols. The clay sludge gathered from individual homes was returned to artisans for reuse in making next year’s idols, arriving back in fairly clean condition.
The initiative received an enthusiastic response from the citizens, who appreciated the balance between honoring tradition and protecting the environment. The events took place on 12, 15, and 22 September 2024, and the volunteers’ efforts were commended by Dr. Ashok Agrawal, Executive Director Academic Higher Education, Dr. Mukta Karmarkar, I/C Principal, and NSS Program Officer Mr. Nilesh Nemade.
