HCCB Launches Used PET Bottle Collection Drive at Velankanni Festival

Tamil Nadu, September 8, 2026: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), in collaboration with the Velankanni Special Grade Town Panchayat, Nagapattinam District Administration and implementation partner Sangam Pratishthan, has launched GreenSweep, a used PET bottle collection drive at the Velankanni Festival 2026.

The initiative aims to strengthen the collection and responsible recycling of used PET bottles during the annual festival, which attracts an estimated 30 lakh devotees from India and abroad over 11 days.

The drive was inaugurated in the presence of Thiru. K. J. Praveen Kumar, I.A.S., District Collector, Nagapattinam; Tmt. A. Diana Sharmila, Chairman, Velankanni Special Grade Town Panchayat; Thiru. Thomas Alva Edison, Vice Chairman, Velankanni Special Grade Town Panchayat; Thiru D. Kaliyaperumal, Special Executive Officer; Thiru Subramanyam, Sanitary Officer; and Thiru. Dr. Pradeep V. Krishna Kumar, MBBS., DPH., DIH., MBA, Deputy Director of Public Health, Nagapattinam District, along with government officials, community members, visitors and devotees.

More than 30 volunteers and Thooimai Paniyalargal (sanitation workers) have been deployed at locations including Velankanni Arch Junction, Velankanni Beach and Velankanni Beach Park. They will encourage visitors to use designated collection points and segregate used PET bottles at source. The collected material will be sent through authorised recycling pathways.

Thiru. K. J. Praveen Kumar, I.A.S., District Collector, Nagapattinam, said, "The Velankanni Festival is among the largest annual gatherings in Tamil Nadu, bringing together lakhs of devotees from across the country and beyond. Managing used PET bottles generated during an event of this scale requires coordinated efforts and active public participation. I appreciate the collaboration between the Velankanni Special Grade Town Panchayat, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, Sangam Pratishthan, volunteers, and Thooimai Paniyalargal (sanitation workers) in strengthening ongoing collection and segregation efforts and encouraging the recycling of used PET bottles. Such initiatives demonstrate how partnerships between government, community organisations, and industry can support effective on-ground collection efforts during large public gatherings and contribute to responsible used PET bottle management."

As part of the awareness campaign, GreenSweep is also using Therukoothu, a traditional Tamil street theatre form, to communicate messages about responsible PET bottle collection and disposal. Local artists performed during the inauguration and will continue performances at key locations during the festival.

Komal Ghag Nadar, Secretary, Sangam Pratishthan, said, "Velankanni's annual festival brings together people from diverse communities, making it an ideal platform to encourage responsible used PET bottle collection. Through GreenSweep, we are supporting on-ground efforts through volunteer mobilisation, awareness activities, and designated collection points. We are grateful to the Nagapattinam District Administration and the Velankanni Special Grade Town Panchayat for their support, and to Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages for entrusting us with the opportunity to implement this initiative on the ground."

The initiative forms part of HCCB’s wider community engagement in Tamil Nadu, including activities under its Project SHINE programme focused on areas such as health and hygiene, waste management, access to safe drinking water and skill development.