Chandigarh is hosting the three-day Chrysanthemum Show at the Terraced Garden in Sector 33 with Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit formally inaugurating the annual event on Friday.
City Mayor Anup Gupta, Adviser to Administrator, Nitin Yadav, Parveer Ranjan, DGP, and Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra, amongst others, were present at the inaugural function.
Purohit appreciated the beauty of the flowers at The Zero Waste 36th Chrysanthemum Show 2023. Taking a moment to capture the essence of the event, he, along with Mayor Anup Gupta, and Adviser to Administrator, Nitin Yadav posed in front of the "Rakhna Sambhal Chandigarh" floral topiary.
This event, now in its second consecutive year, has been transformed into a zero-waste initiative by the civic body. Alongside showcasing various stalls with different initiatives and projects of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the event promotes sustainability and environmental consciousness.
During his visit, Purohit toured all the stalls, including the Swachh Bharat Mission stall, which raised awareness about waste segregation at the source. Other stalls showcased horticulture waste composting, home composting, safai mitra, construction and demolition waste management, and a unique and eco-friendly initiative called PRARAMBH, a one-stop store for sustainable products run by a self-help group supported by the civic body.
After the park tour, he paid respects at the Martyr's Pillar in the Terraced Garden by laying flowers.
As part of the event, Purohit also unveiled an artistically designed brochure on the show. The gardeners (Malis) - the heroes behind the enchanting beauty of our city parks - were also honored by the Chief Guest for their unwavering dedication and tireless efforts. He praised the officials of the Municipal Corporation for organizing such a splendid show and encouraged citizens to maintain the beauty of the city's gardens and urged them to have a small garden either on their terrace or balcony.
Waste materials like tires, chains, iron sheets, and plastic have been ingeniously transformed into structures here. From tunnels to see-saws, spring riders to crawling obstacles, and benches made of construction and demolition waste, this park uses innovation in a big way. Children can also enjoy a game of snakes and ladders “ Swachhata Ki Saanp Sidhi” made from recycled materials.
Additionally, the Viksit Bharat Yatra camp is also a part of the show, offering citizens the opportunity to inquire about prominent government schemes and enroll in them. A van has been deployed at the Terraced Garden for the next three days to raise awareness among citizens about the various government schemes.
For visitors, MC Chandigarh has made arrangements for public amenities, including a special lost and found counter, a medical counter, water facilities, and clean and hygienic Public Conveniences.
To provide food items at reasonable rates inside the festival ground, the MCC has arranged 'Zero Waste Rasoi', where plastic items have been banned and promoted biodegradable and recyclable products.