The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has rolled out a large-scale sanitation operation ahead of Deepavali, deploying 600 sanitation workers and 350 vehicles across Chennai to collect and safely dispose of firecracker waste generated during the festival. The drive, announced on 7 November, is designed to prevent environmental pollution, fire hazards, and damage to public infrastructure.

Scale of the Operation

On the instructions of Corporation Commissioner Dr G.S. Sameeran, the GCC has distributed 30,000 specially designed bags — each with a capacity of 50 kg — to sanitation workers for segregating firecracker debris from regular household garbage. Residents across the city have been urged to set aside used firecrackers, packaging materials, and other festival-related waste for collection by sanitation personnel visiting their neighbourhoods.

Administrators of large residential complexes categorised as Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) have been directed to arrange separate collection and disposal of firecracker waste on their premises. Officials confirmed that all separately collected waste will be transported for supervised disposal under the Corporation's oversight.

Night Operations and Mechanised Cleaning

The GCC has announced intensive cleaning operations throughout the festival period, with a specific focus on night-time road sweeping using mechanised equipment and additional sanitation staff. This approach mirrors the Corporation's strategy from previous festival cycles, reflecting a growing institutional emphasis on post-celebration urban hygiene in a city of over 7 million residents.

Public Guidelines and Safety Warnings

The civic body has appealed to residents to use only green firecrackers, which produce comparatively lower levels of air and noise pollution. Firecrackers may be burst only during government-approved timings: 6 am to 7 am and 7 pm to 8 pm.

Residents have been specifically advised against bursting high-decibel crackers near hospitals, schools, courts, places of worship, densely populated settlements, and fire-prone locations. The Corporation has also warned against bursting crackers near electricity transformers, throwing burning crackers into garbage heaps, or setting accumulated firecracker waste alight. In the event of accidental fires, residents have been advised to take immediate safety precautions and extinguish small fires where it is safe to do so.

Dumping firecracker waste on roads, streets, stormwater drains, or other public spaces has been explicitly prohibited by the Corporation.

Awareness Campaigns Across the City

To reinforce safe disposal practices, the GCC is conducting awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, and public spaces. Audio messages explaining waste segregation procedures are being broadcast through battery-operated Corporation vehicles patrolling residential areas — a targeted outreach effort aimed at reaching residents who may not engage with digital communication channels.

As Chennai prepares for one of its busiest festival periods, the Corporation has appealed for public cooperation to keep the city clean, safe, and environmentally responsible throughout the Deepavali celebrations.