Donate household articles at Chandigarh MC centres from tomorrow

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, May 18

In a one-of-a-kind initiative, residents will be able to donate household articles at three-hour shops to be set up by the Municipal Corporation from May 20 to June 5 as part of World Environment Day in all 35 wards of the city.

The civic body will clean, refurbish and upgrade the articles for sale at a flea market to be set up for three days. Restored items will be sold at nominal rates to the needy. The aim is to ensure household articles in good condition do not go to waste and are instead reused.

Only quality and useable items will be accepted for donation. The articles include clothes, shoes, books/stationery, plastic items, crockery, toys, e-waste, wooden items/furniture, etc. Perishable items will not be accepted.

The event is being carried out under the “Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar” campaign.

The plan is to set up of reduce, reuse and recycle (3R) centres at community centres/sehaj safai kendras/charitable institutions/gurdwaras/temples/mosques or shops of market welfare associations (MWAs).

To set up 3R centres, old racks, table, chairs, etc. will be sourced from the enforcement store. Articles will be collected from 3R centres by MC’s Swachh Sawari vehicles, which will transport these to MC stores for refurbishment and sale. The schedule of centres will informed to residents later.

A special awareness drive will be carried out in each ward to convey the location, timing, purpose of centres and hand over pamphlets of listed items that can be donated at the 3R centres to residents.

Self-help groups (SHGs) or sanitation workers will look after the day-to-day operations and management of these centres. The SHGs will be involved in refurbishment/upcycling of donated items and their sale through flea markets.

MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra told Chandigarh Tribune: “We will sell donated articles at nominal rates i.e. Rs 10 or Rs 20 a piece to the needy. They feel good when they purchase things instead of getting these in charity. The proceeds will go towards raising awareness on swachhata.”

Refurbished goods to be sold at flea market

• MC will set up 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) centres at community centres/ sehaj safai kendras/charitable institutions/palces of worship, etc. in each ward
• Articles such as clothes, shoes, books/stationery, plastic items, crockery, toys, e-waste, wooden items/furniture, etc. in good condition can be donated there
• MC through self-help groups will clean, refurbish and upgrade collected articles and sell these at reasonable rates to needy at a flea market for three days

Will use proceeds for awareness

We will sell donated articles at nominal rates to the needy. They feel good buying things instead of getting these in charity. Proceeds will go towards raising awareness on swachhata. — Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner