Cleanliness drive at Bhimashankar temple clears silt from river source
Sumeet Facilities ran a ten-day cleanup at Bhimashankar temple, clearing waste from the temple premises and the Bhima river's source after the Shravan rush.
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The Bhimashankar temple premises have been thoroughly cleaned up now that the month of Shravan has ended. Sumeet Facilities ran a special "cleanliness week" from September 2, 2026 to September 11, 2026 at the Shri Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The drive focused on the temple premises as well as the sacred source of the Bhima river.
Bhimashankar sees a huge rush of devotees during Shravan, which leads to a build-up of waste, plastic and nirmalya (ritual offerings) at the temple. Seeing this, Sumeet Facilities took the initiative to launch the cleanup drive on its own. Silt, plastic waste and nirmalya offered by devotees that had accumulated at the source of the Bhima river were cleared. The stream flowing through the temple premises was also cleaned.
Between 25 and 30 sanitation workers and three supervisors were deployed for the drive. They were provided with monitoring vehicles, dustbins, brooms, waste bags and PPE kits for personal safety. Besides collecting waste and plastic, the team also cleaned the roads leading to the temple, the surrounding area and the drains.
Large quantities of waste were being generated every day because of the rush of devotees during Shravan. Sumeet Facilities' team collected waste, plastic and nirmalya from 30 to 35 dustbins every day. The waste collected was disposed of properly.
Sumeet Facilities, which has earlier run cleanliness drives at Juhu and Worli beaches in Mumbai, has now launched this initiative at the Bhimashankar pilgrimage site as well. The company says the aim of the initiative is to spread awareness among people about protecting natural heritage along with keeping religious sites clean.
Sumit Salunkhe, executive chairman of Sumeet Group Enterprises, said Bhimashankar is not just a spiritually important pilgrimage site but also the point where the Bhima river begins its journey. He said looking after this sacred site and the river's source is a form of service for the group. He added that the cleanliness drive is not limited to removing waste but is also part of a collective responsibility towards faith, the environment and society.
According to Sumeet Group Enterprises, the group's operations span more than 20 states across the country and employ more than 50,000 people. The group provides services in areas including facilities management, waste management, security services and emergency medical services.
