In a rare show of orchestrated planning and timely execution, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) sanitation workers have received praise from citizens for maintaining high sanitation standards during this year’s three-day Eid ul-Adha celebrations.
The BMC’s efforts ensured that streets remained free of bio-waste, despite ongoing civic negligence in some parts of the old city. “I saw municipal teams working late into the night to remove waste thrown into the streets,” said Shadab, a resident of Budhwara.
Prince Sharma, a real estate professional from Hoshangabad Road, said, “This year, the efforts of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation during and after Eid ul-Adha (Bakrid) have truly been commendable. The city was kept remarkably clean, and waste disposal was swift and efficient.”
Mohit Thakur, a café owner, added, “We’ve seen a visible improvement in sanitation. BMC’s proactive approach ensured the festive spirit remained unhindered.”
Deepak Dangi of Chinar Fortune City noted, “It was reassuring to see regular waste collection and cleanliness drives, even in interior areas.”
Qaid Johar, a resident of Airport Road, said, “Usually after Bakrid, there are issues with waste, but this year, BMC acted promptly and thoroughly.”
Pradeep Thakur, a cab driver from Ashoka Garden, agreed: “As someone who moves across the city daily, I can confidently say Bhopal looked cleaner than ever this Bakrid.”
This acclaim reflects concerted planning by senior BMC officials and dedicated execution by the sanitation team. Prior to the start of festivities on June 7, Mayor Malti Rai convened health officials and directed them to ensure the strategic placement of 21 zonal teams across all 85 wards.
As a result, nearly 200 tonnes of qurbani (sacrifice) waste was collected from 110 locations, including secondary storage sites and temporary slaughter zones, before being dispatched for recycling.
The waste was routed to Madhya Pradesh’s first-ever rendering plant at Adampur Cantonment, where animal remains are being processed into feed for poultry, fish, and kibble for cats. This marks a significant shift from past decades, when carcasses were buried or left to rot and decaying hides were collected by vendors along main thoroughfares.
BMC deployed 91 containers across the city for waste drop-off and conducted door-to-door collections from temporary slaughterhouses to ensure no bio-waste was dumped in drains or near ponds. Teams of Swachhata Mitras actively prevented improper disposal, imposing fines of Rs 15,000 on offenders.
Over 250 individuals were stopped from illegally discarding slaughter waste in public spaces. Assistant health officers oversaw sanitation work in each ward, liaising directly with residents to raise awareness and secure cooperation.
Mayor Rai emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating that converting waste into feed is “a major environmental achievement” and underlines Bhopal’s commitment to sustainability during large festivals.
This year’s model stands in sharp contrast to previous post-Eid years, when hidden carcasses and rotting hides in areas like Budhwara, Islampura, Tallaiya, and Shahjahanabad turned city sanitation into a public hazard for weeks. The new system has ended that cycle decisively.
Bhopal’s successful operation has drawn praise from both civic and environmental circles. With clean streets and repurposed waste, the civic body has finally set a benchmark for other municipalities to emulate.