Sacred Streets, Plastic-Free Feat: Puri Rath Yatra Goes Green Again

Image Source: The CSR Journal

In a vibrant combination of spirituality and sustainability, the legendary Puri Rath Yatra 2025 will be an environmentally friendly model for mass events. Led by Hindustan CocaCola Beverages (HCCB) and the Anandana CocaCola India Foundation, and in association with the Puri Municipality, Odisha Development Management Programme, and Y4D Foundation, the project will ensure the festival remains free of littered PET bottles for a second year in succession.

Key Highlights:

Over 200 PET collection points to be set up across Puri, beginning from Swargadwar, Badasankha, and the railway station.
A 10day volunteer capacitybuilding programme (June 26–July 5) will equip more than 180 'Safai Sathis' with skills to handle waste and support pilgrims.
Help desks, awareness drives, and street plays will involve lakhs of devotees in the correct disposal practices.
Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) have been placed to facilitate recycling via technologybased collection.
The campaign leverages the 2024 milestone, where 850,000 PET bottles (17,000+ kg) were collected and recycled.
The initiative is also aligned with PM Modi's plasticfree India vision on World Environment Day 2025 and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi's green festival campaign.

Prospects:

With corporates, civic bodies, and communities joining hands, Rath Yatra is becoming a green and spiritual movement. As millions of citizens gather to witness the divine chariot procession, they will be contributing towards something bigger—towards a cleaner, greener India.

Sources: The CSR Journal, OrissaPOST, CSR Mandate