New Delhi [India], October 22 : The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), under the leadership of Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, has undertaken an environment-friendly initiative to collect used diyas and idols following the festive season in the National Capital.
According to a release, the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Why Waste Wednesdays Foundation through Swachh Vaahini, a CSR project of TWEPL, and is being carried out across various Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Delhi.
Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh informed that on October 21, 2025, MCD collected approximately three metric tonnes of diyas from different parts of the city under this drive. These collected diyas and idols are being sent for scientific disposal at Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste processing plants to ensure environmentally safe management of festive waste.
Singh emphasised that the "initiative is a step towards promoting responsible and sustainable waste management practices in the national capital. He appealed to citizens to actively participate in the campaign by segregating their festive waste and handing it over to the Swachh Vaahini collection teams," as stated in the release.
"Citizens may also request the pickup of used diyas and idols by sending a WhatsApp message to 8002044982. The MCD remains committed to fostering public participation and community awareness for a cleaner and greener Delhi," it said.
Earlier, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Tuesday emphasised that the BJP government's "effective measure" kept the pollution level in the national capital "under control" before the Diwali festival.
"To reduce dust pollution, the Delhi government has deployed 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns across the city. Mechanical road cleaning is being carried out using 70 mechanical road sweepers and advanced super-sucker machines equipped with water-spraying systemsm," she said, as per a release.
Additionally, the Delhi Government has intensified inspections at construction and demolition sites to ensure strict compliance with dust control regulations.
A day after Diwali, the national capital city, New Delhi, woke up to a thick and heavy layer of smog as the air quality deteriorated to the 'Very Poor' category on Tuesday morning, with most of the monitoring stations marked in the 'Red Zone' of pollution.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 351 as of 4 pm on October 21.