Chandigarh, December 19:- The City Beautiful today witnessed the grand inauguration of Zero Waste 38th Chrysanthemum Show at the Terraced Garden, Sector 33, Chandigarh. The three-day flower show, being organized by the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, commenced today and will continue till December 21, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.

The show was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab & Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria in the august presence of Lady Governor Smt. Amrita Kataria, Mayor Smt. Harpreet Kaur Babla, Chief Secretary Sh. H. Rajesh Prasad, IAS, Sh. V.P. Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to Governor, Home Secretary-cum-Secretary Local Government Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, IAS, Municipal Commissioner Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, area Councillor Smt. Anju Katyal, other Councillors, senior officers of the Municipal Corporation and prominent citizens.

The Hon’ble Governor appreciated the vibrant display of flowers and lauded the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh for organizing the Chrysanthemum Show as a Zero Waste event, promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility. Emphasizing environmental conservation, the Governor underlined the importance of flowers in enhancing urban beauty, mental well-being and environmental balance and stressed the need to connect students with plantation and gardening activities to nurture environmental consciousness from a young age. The Governor also appreciated the colourful cultural dance performances by children, which added vibrancy and community participation to the event.

During his visit, the Hon’ble Governor toured various stalls showcasing initiatives and projects of the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, including the Swachh Bharat Mission stall promoting segregation of waste at source, horticulture waste composting, home composting, safai mitra initiatives, construction and demolition waste management, and PRARAMBH—a unique eco-friendly one-stop store for sustainable products run by a Self-Help Group registered under D-JAY(S) and supported by MCC.

The Hon’ble Governor also paid floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Pillar in the Terraced Garden and unveiled an artistically designed brochure of the Chrysanthemum Show. On the occasion, gardeners (Malis) of the Horticulture Department—the unsung heroes behind the beauty of city parks—were honoured for their dedication and tireless efforts.

Mayor Smt. Harpreet Kaur Babla, while addressing the gathering, appreciated the collective efforts of gardeners and officials for making the event vibrant, colourful and citizen-friendly. She lauded the decision to organize the Chrysanthemum Show as a Zero Waste event and appealed to residents to adopt eco-friendly practices and actively contribute towards keeping Chandigarh clean, green and beautiful.

Addressing the gathering, Municipal Commissioner Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS informed that more than 260 varieties of Chrysanthemum are on display this year, all grown and nurtured at MCC nurseries. The Horticulture Department gardeners have creatively designed models of boats, camels, peacocks, cows, giraffes, lions and several other animals and birds using flowers, which continue to bring national and international recognition to Chandigarh.

For the convenience of visitors, MCC has arranged public amenities including a lost and found counter, medical counter, drinking water facilities and clean, hygienic public conveniences. A dedicated “Zero Waste Rasoi” has also been set up inside the festival ground, where the use of plastic is completely banned and biodegradable and recyclable products are being promoted to provide food at reasonable rates.

The Zero Waste 38th Chrysanthemum Show stands as a perfect blend of floral beauty, environmental awareness, creativity and community participation, reinforcing Chandigarh’s commitment towards sustainability and green living.