Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when India is facing a growing e-waste crisis, producing about 10.1 lakh tonnes every year and not even 25 percent of it is recycled, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is showing the way by making attractive artworks out of e-waste and displaying them at its offices and at parks. The message the MCC is trying to convey is that recycling is more important than ever.

These art forms are attracting people with unique textures, colours and forms and comprise metals like steel, copper, colourful wires, keyboards and computer components. In all, it is a transformation of trash into treasure.

These artworks and animal figurines have been installed at the MCC Main Office in city centre and at all the gardens of the nine Zonal Offices of the MCC.

They include the royal insignia of Gandabherunda, peacock, tiger, panda, dinosaur, etc. Some of the parks too like Sumasopana Park, Madhuvana Park, Cheluvamba Park, LIC Circle, Skating Park and Udayagiri Park sport these figurines.

Recycled art can be defined as creative productions that make use of waste or discarded objects. These creations instil consciousness about how we dispose of items in our everyday life and spread awareness on the practice of upcycling everyday waste for functional or aesthetic purposes.

The unique way of turning discarded items into stunning works of art has been appreciated by the public. From metal and plastic to old gadgets, hard drives and circuit boards — all have the potential for transformation. They are converted into figurines of animals and birds. They are placed in such a way that the finished product takes the shape of the desired animal or bird or simple artwork.

“Desktops, motherboards, cables, rivets, screws, SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply), RAM, mouse, modem cards, aluminium and copper parts, keyboards and DVD writers have been used to make these figurines. This is the first time that e-waste has been utilised in such a way in Mysuru and these artworks are long-lasting and will brave the vagaries of weather too,” MCC Executive Engineer Ranjit Kumar told  Star of Mysore.

“The contractor who has bagged the job of recycling e-waste in Mysuru got the sculptures done and manufactured in Bengaluru. We liked the idea and have initiated their installation at MCC offices and some of the select parks. In the coming days, a decision will be taken to install such items for awareness at all parks that come under the MCC purview,” he added.

Public awareness

We have taken this measure to create public awareness on the need for recycling. All this e-waste that you see in the art forms now was collected at the Sewage Farm in Vidyaranyapuram. In the near future, more such environment-friendly initiatives will be taken at the Ward level, at all parks and Zonal Offices. —Shivakumar, Mayor, Mysuru