Community-led initiative, supported by HCCB, Anandana: The Coca-Cola India Foundation, OSPCB and Puri Municipal Corporation, focuses on systematic PET collection and civic awareness through folk art and volunteer outreach
Bhubaneshwar, Puri: The Odisha Development Management Programme (ODMP) announced the on-ground rollout of its “Used PET Bottle-Free Rath Yatra” initiative, which will run from July 15 to July 27, 2026. The initiative is part of ODMP’s ongoing efforts to keep Puri free of used PET bottles during Rath Yatra, one of India’s largest and most revered cultural gatherings.
In partnership with Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), Puri Municipal Corporation, and support from Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) and Anandana:: The Coca-Cola India Foundation, this 10-day drive aims to raise public awareness for used PET bottle collection during the iconic Rath Yatra.
Speaking on the launch of the community action and awarness drive, Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of Odisha said, “The Rath Yatra is one of Odisha’s most cherished traditions, and keeping Puri clean during this sacred occasion is a responsibility we all share. I am glad to see players such as HCCB and Anandana: The Coca-Cola Foundation, coming forward for the 3rd year and working closely with volunteers and local communities to ensure that used PET bottles are responsibly collected and recycled through this Yatra. Efforts that are rooted in local participation and cultural outreach, show that civic responsibility and tradition can go hand in hand.”
With HCCB on-board, ODMP has scaled community participation, improving segregation practices at the source, and sustaining civic awareness across Puri, through volunteer-led collection and trained personnel.
During the course of the Yatra, more than 200 volunteers or safai saathis will be deployed across the city, including Pallishree Mela Ground, Bholanath Vidya Pith, Puri Main Bus Stand, Talabania Temporary Bus Stand, Puri Railway Station, Badasankha, Digabareni Square, and beach locations such as Swargadwar and Hotel Shreehari.
Along with this, help desks will be stationed across temple and beach zones that will directly guide pilgrims and visitors on the correct segregation and handover of used PET bottles, ensuring collected material is efficiently channelled for recycling.
A key highlight of HCCB’s awareness initiatives this year is the use of folk-art forms and nukkad naataks (street plays) performed in the Odia language, to make the message of responsible PET collection culturally resonant and accessible to residents and pilgrims alike. These performance will be staged at key locations across the city through the course of the Yatra.
In the lead-up to the Yatra, ODMP and its partners also conducted awareness-building activities, including PET collection drives and plogging sessions across Puri in addition to a Hotel Owner’s Association Programme to curb the PET waste from institutional partners.
The initiative reflects a shared vision among civic, government, and private partners to ensure that the sacred city of Puri remains clean and welcoming for all devotees, while building a culture of responsible PET management in Odisha.
