Watawala Tea staff have joined the Kandy Municipal Council’s clean up operations during the Kandy Esala Perahera, helping clear waste left along the procession route after thousands of spectators leave the city each night.
Teams are collecting plastic bottles, food packaging and other discarded material from areas along the Perahera route, supporting municipal workers tasked with restoring the city after large crowds disperse.
The initiative extends Watawala Tea’s involvement in this year’s Perahera beyond serving complimentary tea to spectators. Information provided on the initiative says staff are working alongside municipal teams as part of efforts to keep Kandy clean during one of Sri Lanka’s largest annual cultural and religious gatherings.
The Kandy Municipal Council has been carrying out special day and night cleanliness operations through its Solid Waste Management Department during the Perahera period.
Watawala Tea has also supported the council’s solid waste management staff by sponsoring T-shirts for employees assigned to special Perahera duties. The items were handed over by Nadee Manatunga, Senior Brand Manager of Sunshine Consumer Pvt Ltd, to Kandy Mayor Chandrasiri Wijayanayaka, with municipal officials and Solid Waste Management Department representatives present.
Waste management has received additional attention during this year’s festival, with JICA donating waste collection bins worth nearly Rs. 1.3 million for use during the Perahera. The bins are designed to support the segregation of waste at source, according to the Kandy Municipal Council.
For Watawala Tea, the clean up initiative adds a practical community element to its presence at the Perahera serving spectators during the celebrations while also helping municipal workers deal with what remains once the crowds have gone home.
Alternative headline: Beyond a Cup of Tea: Watawala Staff Help Keep Kandy Clean During Esala Perahera
