On May 20th, Kumudha’s Dry Waste Collection Centre in Ward 177, JP Nagar Bengaluru went up in flames. Nothing inside survived the fire.

The fire burned for over six hours until much after midnight

Kumudha’s centre is a place of business, a learning centre that hosted hundreds of students, academics and zero waste practitioners a year. Kumudha put in her own money to build this centre, running it with a self-help group of over a dozen women. The centre collected dry waste from Ward 177, reclaimed recyclables and supported several livelihoods. This has been a disastrous loss for her and the community.

Kumudha was devastated, but she was not left to mourn alone. DWCC Operators from across the Jayanagar division banded together to support her, and her team committed to continuing work despite the fire and the loss of infrastructure. The operators lent Kumudha a vehicle to replace the one that was lost in the fire, and within a week Kumudha was collecting dry waste again. She was also supported by the extraordinary generosity of residents and citizens who donated over 5 lakhs to support the salaries of her team, rebuilding efforts to give her a stable centre to work from, and to cover the loss of materials from the old centre!

Sorting the collected waste for future recycling

The Hasiru Dala team supported Kumudha to rebuild a temporary structure for her centre. The BBMP has made a commitment to upgrade the centre in the near future, along with other wards in the Jayanagar division.

Kumudha expresses her gratitude to everyone who donated to her fundraiser, provided her with vehicles, time and effort, and for everyone who supported her to continue working.

On June 5th, World Environment Day, 6 Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) Operators, supported by Anjali Saini from Whitefield Rising, held a press meeting to discuss BBMP payments which have been pending for up to two years across 46 wards.

Operators Indumathi, Mansoor Goos, Paramesh, Nadia, Geetha, and Indira are members of Thyajya Shramika Sangha (TSS), a union of waste workers across Karnataka. Together with Swachh Eco Solutions and Gilgal Solutions (who also support several DWCCs across the city), TSS had raised a petition on Change.Org supported by over 1000 citizens to the BBMP, demanding the following:
1. Arrears of the wages are to be paid immediately
2. Provide better condition of work in DWCC – with better buildings or renovated infrastructure and fire insurance for all DWCCs
3. Regularise the payment so there is a stable income to manage the collection and processing of dry waste

DWCCs prevent waste from going to landfills and support recycling throughout the city. The operators represented that we provide a service to the city with agreed-upon payment by the BBMP, and Anjali Saini represented that the BBMP is in breach of these payments.

Representations from the operators:

“We thank BBMP for integrating us into the formal solid waste management but regular
support is missing from them. We request BBMP to support us on a regular basis, especially
the payments.”

Mansoor, DWCC Operator, Ward 168

“Before MOU was for 4 months & Payments were regular but now the MOU is for 3 years.
They are supposed to pay Rs 56,316 for the first 6 months, if the vehicle is not provided by
them then they need to pay Rs 26,316 as rent for each vehicle, but that has not happened
for months.”

Indumathi, DWCC Operator, Ward 15

“When we go to the BBMP office for payments they send us from one official to another. We
waste pickers that don’t know how to read and write; they don’t give us time. If we keep
running around like this for payment, who will go and pick up waste? Who will do the work?”

Nadiya, DWCC Operator, Ward 84

“We as a city should take responsibility. It is shameful & disgraceful that we are exploiting the
lowest of the low in society. I can vouch for these people; we have worked together and
increased dry waste collection by 300-400%. But we have BBMP on the other side who doesn’t
pay them.”

Anjali Saini, Whitefield Rising

The BBMP committed to investigating our concerns seriously and making the payments wherever pending. We will not relax our efforts until every operator is paid. It is only our relentless commitment to justice and the support of residents across the city that pays results.

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Authors: Geetanjali and Roy

Part 1: Rising Heat and Unequal Impact
This year India experienced one of the longest heat waves ever recorded. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Chief, this has been the longest spell because it has been going on for about 24 days in different parts of the country. The extreme temperatures experienced throughout the country made heatwaves a trending news topic with multiple discussions on the prevailing abnormal conditions as a consequence and impact of climate change. One of the consequences highlighted was that extreme heat and heatwaves in India shall no longer remain contained over only those regions traditionally believed to be prone. This follows the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports and analysis that showcases that newer areas, especially from the southern peninsular India, have started to experience heatwaves.  

This year, this impact was visible in cities like Bangalore, popularly known for its pleasant weather conditions experiencing extreme heat conditions. Although Karnataka does not fall under Core Heatwave Zones (CHZ), which includes the states most prone to heatwaves, the IMD had issued a circular on April 4, 2024, warning that Karnataka will experience heatwave-like conditions for the coming days. The city of Bengaluru also recorded temperatures going up to 36.5°C in this month which technically does not amount to a heat wave, but the high temperatures deviated from the city’s mean daily maximum temperature of 34°C for April.

Today, as we enter into the monsoon period, people of the city experience the much-awaited relief from showers after a rainless April month – something that Bangalore hasn’t seen in the last 123 years, according to IMD Bengaluru Director N Puviarasan. However, despite the recent respite, in this article, we shift our focus back to the impact of the relentless heat experienced in the months of April and May that took a toll on the daily life of people in the city. Heat waves have been able to bring to the forefront how the adverse effects of climate change are being experienced by all in our everyday lives, however, the impact still remains unequal, especially for workers exposed to heat. In this article, we revisit and highlight this disproportionate impact of excessive heat on one such category of workers who are part of the climate mitigation workforce i.e. the people who work in the waste management sector. 

Even as temperatures rose abnormally to 41.8°C in May, informal outdoor workers, especially those working in the waste management system, have continued to work despite the scorching heat, maintaining the hygiene of the city. Thus, while talking about climate change and the impact it has on workers, we focus on the differential and disproportionate impact of extreme heat on the waste pickers and other informal waste workers in the city of Bangalore who are primarily involved in the collection and segregation of waste in the solid waste management sector.

“I have been living in bangalore for the last 45 years, never seen a summer like this,” said 45-year-old Kumuda, who has been working as a Operator at a Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) in ward 177 of Bangalore for the past 8 years. The recent extreme temperatures have made their work even more challenging, as they struggle to cope with the heat while managing the waste. 

Bangalore has more than 25,000 waste pickers employed or engaged in informal and semi-formal systems performing various roles in managing urban waste. Within this, there are several worker categories which include municipal sweepers or Pourakarmikas (PKs), operators that run DWCCs, scrap shop dealers/owners, wet waste collectors and helpers, waste sorters and free-roaming waste pickers. Amongst, the category of informal waste pickers are one of the most crucial groups of workers within the solid waste management chain and are crucial for ensuring proper collection, segregation, recycling and overall management of solid waste generated by the city of Bangalore. 

Although championed for being at the forefront of climate mitigation efforts, and economically contributing towards circular economy as well as aiding municipal governance, waste pickers bear the unequal brunt of climate change impact such as extreme temperatures, both at work and at home. This is due to the nature of their everyday working conditions, inadequate housing set-ups and the underlying lack of recognition by the government’s regulatory and legal frameworks.

Part 2: Impact on Waste Workers’ Working Conditions

2.1 Outdoor workers: Informal Waste Pickers and Pourakarmikas

“Compared to last year, the temperature this year is the worst. We are not able to walk on the roads. We go for waste picking and tying some kind of cloth over our heads. That much the temperature is” said a free-roaming woman waste picker. 

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) predicts that by 2030, India will lose about 5.8% of daily working hours due to increasing temperatures. This is a significant challenge to the informal sector, particularly the free-roaming waste pickers whose livelihood is dependent on outdoor work. The impact of such increasing temperatures has already started affecting their work. During the discussion with the free-roaming waste pickers, many have mentioned about the changes that they made in the working hours to cope with the heat. “Nowadays, we go to waste picking early and come back home before it gets hot”, shared on waste picker. 

“It is so difficult. sometimes I feel like..to leave all this and run away. Since last week, I was feeling like I didn’t even want this job…. It went to that extent….That much hot it is”, shared 30-year-old Nirosha, who is working as a Pourakarmika in Bangalore. 

For Pourakarmikas, their primary work starts from 6.30 am in the morning and goes till 2 in the afternoon, working for long hours in the day. Due to this, they are exposed to excessive heat, and ultraviolet radiation as well as workplace air pollution. This prolonged exposure often leads to dehydration and heat-related illnesses. According to a recently published ILO report on ‘Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate’, such exposure to excessive heat can lead to health impacts on workers such as heat stress, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, etc. “Recently, an older woman fainted due to low blood pressure,” said Nirosha. She also mentioned that many Pourakarmikas have fainted during work and have started feeling exhausted during work on hot days. 

According to the same report, exposure to ultraviolet radiation and workplace air pollution further risks sunburn, weakened immune systems, cataract, skin-related diseases as well as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. One of the waste pickers in her late 50s interviewed shared how she has stopped working as a waste picker and now looks after her children’s children at home due to developing an “eye problem”.

2.2 DWCC Workers: Navigating Work in the Heat

 “In this heat, it is hard to work. I do feel an increase in temperature. If we say it was level 5 heat five years ago, now I would say level 6 or 7, which is making it hard to work,” said Leelavathi, a  sorter working at ward 177 Dry Waste Collection Center for the past four years.

Waste sorters are workers who work in Dry waste collection centres (DWCC) or scrap shops to segregate the waste into different categories of dry waste such as plastic, metal, glass, paper, e-waste and other dry waste or reject waste. Sorters are usually employed by operators and owners of DWCCs and scrap shops. Their working hours range from 9 am to 6 pm where they sit amongst the heaps of unsegregated dry waste collected and sorted. Sometimes, due to poor design that leads to a lack of ventilation and a lack of electricity supply at the DWCCs contributes to heat-related risks for sorters at their workplace. 

One sorter explained to us that, “since there is no fan in the Godown (DWCC), we are not working inside. it feels suffocating for us. And that’s why we put the waste outside the centre and sort there during summer. We cannot put a fan inside the godown, since there is no electricity.” According to one operator of a DWCC, these conditions also force sorters to work without provided protective gear like gloves and masks and uniforms risking them to other occupational health hazards. 

Rising temperature has also impacted the amount of work they are able to do in one day. The working speed has decreased as workers feel more tired during work hours. “To work in this summer, it is very difficult for us. In the morning from 8 to 10, it is okay (tolerable) for us to work. After that, it gets very difficult. Then after 4 only, the temperature starts to decrease. But by then, what work we can do. It is time to go home. So, it is very hard in this summer,” shared one sorter. The discomfort and stress due to excessive heat has led DWCC sorters to take more frequent absences from work, reducing her income. “I am taking leaves, 1 or 2 or 3 days a week due to this heat, and hence the income of those days will be gone,” says Leelavathi. 

Kumuda, the DWCC operator of Ward 177 explained to us that, “since there is no fan in the Godown (facility), we are not working inside. it feels suffocating for us. And that’s why we put the waste outside the centre and sort there during summer. We cannot put a fan inside the godown, because there is no electricity,” According to one operator of a DWCC, these conditions also force sorters to work without provided protective gear like gloves and masks and uniforms risking them to other occupational health hazards. Leelavathi notes, “I sweat, and I can’t wipe the sweat also. I have worn gloves; if I have to wipe sweat on my face, I have to remove gloves. These are all problems.” 

The workers at the DWCC face several health related illnesses such as severe dehydration, fatigue, exhaustion and dizziness. “I fainted a few days back because of the heat. I don’t take medicines, I don’t like it. I take it only when it gets very worse (physical)”, said Halima, a sorter at Dry waste collection centre. One of the operators expressed how due to the impact of heat on the workers health and productivity, they are unable to sort and segregate waste at the same levels as they used to. “Before, we used to do 1 and a half  tonnes. But now, to sort 1 tonne has become difficult. It is because of the heat. For the last two months, it has been like this.” Since most operators earn income by selling the segregated waste through which they also pay the salaries of the sorters working with them, the quantity of waste sorted is essential for their and their workers livelihood.

“During normal days, we used one or one and half cans per day. But, this summer, we used three cans of water which costs Rs30 per day” – Kumuda, DWCC operator of ward 177. 

Some of the strategies used by sorters to combat the heat includes drinking more and more water to keep their bodies cool and hydrated which adds to their daily expenses as well. However, the unwanted consequence of this is that they don’t get hungry and skip on essential meals that are necessary for energy and nutrition. One of the DWCC operators explained to us that, “since they are drinking a lot of water, their food intake breaks. And because of that, they become tired and it impacts the work.” This is further leading to health risks where since they do not eat food at the correct time, they experience dizziness, weakness and have also experienced fainting, they further shared.

Existing Policy Frameworks For Heat and Climate Change: Informal Waste Pickers and Sorters as Missing Categories

Recently, the IMD Chief, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, shared how heatwaves will now become more frequent, durable and intense. This means that waste workers, amongst other informal and outdoor workers are expected to experience worsening working conditions that will impact their day to day livelihood and health further. This calls for a need for the government to recognise and respond to these challenges and take measures to protect and support waste worker’s well being. 

Heat Action Plans (HAPs) and broader Climate Action Plans (CAPs) are one of the ways through which governments at various levels are preparing for extreme climate change-induced weather fluctuations and to lower the adverse impacts of extreme heat. We briefly discuss the provisions in the existing policy frameworks in addressing the issues of people engaged in the waste management sector. 

Heat Action Plans: Missing the mark

HAPs outline strategies and measures to prepare for, address and recover from heat waves. Some of the combination of measures to combat extreme heat apart from early warning systems and awareness campaigns suggested by existing HAPs are building heat shelters and cooling centres, and providing clean drinking water to avoid dehydration for people. HAPs also include a ‘vulnerability assessment’ that prioritises the protection of vulnerable populations such as low-income communities, children and the elderly. The Karnataka State Heat Action Plan 2023-24 mentions that physical vulnerability could be due to age, pregnancy, chronic disease, type of housing, occupation etc. It also recommends that each city or town should do its own vulnerability assessment using available resources and robust scientific methods. However, the current framing of vulnerability generalises categories of vulnerable population and doesn’t take into account the varying needs of the population based on specific working conditions of their occupations, especially for informal outdoor workers who are disproportionately exposed to extreme heat conditions. Lack of targeted interventions leave many informal workers at large and especially waste pickers and waste sorters in particular excluded from such suggested measures. Additionally, HAPs remain advisory in nature and are in need of funding and legal accountability for proper implementation. 

Bangalore Climate Action Plan: Concerns over Implementation 

More specifically at the city level for Bangalore, in August 2021 the Bangalore Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP), was undertaken by the BBMP with the support of the World Resources Institute (WRI) as the global consultant company to prepare a climate action plan 2050 for the city of Bangalore. At the time of writing this article, the full BCAP report is yet to be released. Last year, in November 2023, the BCAP summary report was released along with ‘BCAP Sector-Wise Action Recommendations’. Solid Waste Management (SWM) is one of the priority sectors under this report to combat climate change. In one of the sectoral action tracks, that is ‘SWM-1’, the main aim is to “divert waste from landfills and better segregation of waste at source”. Here, we discuss two sectoral sub-action tracks within the SWM-1 track that are relevant and crucial for the recognition of informal waste pickers and other waste workers and have direct implications on their working conditions in the context of extreme heat conditions. 

One of the Sub Action Tracks – ‘SWM 1.9’ aims to create dignity of labour for pourakarmikas by introducing “legal status and a licensing mechanism for ragpickers and waste workers to formalise them and provide support to ensure social equity, informal inclusion, and job security.” Aligned with the Solid Waste Management Manual and BBMP Bye-Laws, it aims to have as an output the “recognition of pourakarmikas and list of formalised rag pickers”. This is a welcome vision by the BCAP that identifies BBMP-BSWML as the principal responsible agency to implement this. 

However, given the advisory nature of such action tracks, beyond identifying the relevant authority and regulatory framework, the report doesn’t lay down the basis and the ways in which the municipal body will be creating this “list of formalised ragpickers”. The implementation outline is crucial because the majority of the waste pickers work in informal arrangements and an attempt at formalising them can disturb their existing informal networks within the recycling value chain, dispossessing people of their livelihoods and producing greater precarity for waste pickers. Therefore, clarification on what is envisioned by ‘formalisation’ and detailing the scope of eligibility and the entitled benefits for informal waste pickers who will be included in the list of formalised ragpickers will be crucial for effective implementation of this sub-action track. This is especially important since the report lays down an ambitious overall sectoral target of achieving “100% segregation of waste by 2025” which is a welcome goal. However, one of the consequences of such a target is the direct impact on the livelihood of informal waste pickers and other waste workers in the city. Currently, existing attempts at formalising waste pickers through issuing occupational ID cards that entitles them to social security benefits are facing challenges such as renewal. Therefore it is imperative to detail the implementation and consequences of such attempts at formalisation of informal waste pickers. 

Another Sub Action Track – ‘SWM 1.10’ aims to “develop and maintain mustering centres in every ward (preferable at the transfer stations) across the city (including necessary facilities such as proper toilets, water, soap, or sanitiser) for pourakarmikas and rag pickers, to ensure better working conditions and improved public health.” This is a grounded approach that takes into account the nature of work of waste pickers and aims to improve their working conditions. However, it is imperative to have proper monitoring and management of these mustering centres that ensures that the proposed facilities are functioning and that there is no exclusion or harassment of informal waste pickers using the services. Currently, the formalised municipal sweepers, Pourakarmikas although assigned, are unable to use basic sanitation services like toilets in existing infrastructure like schools, anganwadis etc and demand the building of restrooms in mustering points. This highlights the need to further plan and implement the proper provisioning, and management of basic services through such an action plan for the wellbeing of waste pickers.

Recommendations:

“Even if it’s hot, even if it rains….we have to go…even if one day we don’t go to work…we won’t get food” shares one waste picker. 

Given the challenges about the everyday working conditions of informal waste workers, we recommend the following policy and regulatory as well as immediate workplace suggestions to help waste workers adapt to the rising heat. 

Policy Level:

• Prioritising the targeted inclusion of informal workers based on occupation, especially for waste workers like waste pickers and sorters within existing policy frameworks, especially Heat Action Plans and Climate Action Plans. The existing and upcoming policies regarding heat and broader climate vulnerability assessments should have an expanded definition and immediate recognition of waste workers and especially informal waste pickers and sorters.
  • For example, at the state level, conducting a vulnerability assessment of the waste pickers community under the Karnataka State Heat Action Plan 2023-24 recommends the method of a “case-control study in a community or a workplace to identify the most vulnerable population and the risk factors of being vulnerable”. Within this waste pickers community can be recognised and prioritised as a vulnerable population based on both the occupational status and the type of housing they reside in along with their socio-economic status and identity. 
  • At the city level of Bangalore, BCAP Sectoral Action Tracks need to be implemented via projects undertaken through collaboration between government bodies and knowledge partners organisations. In this context, stakeholder consultations under the proposed Bangalore Climate Action Cell should include waste picker organisations and waste pickers representation to ensure that projects that are taken up to implement the suggested action tracks are cognisant of existing challenges such as formalisation and how to prioritise the welfare of waste workers in the context of rising heat. 
• In addition to heat and climate action plans, waste workers should be eligible to avail of expanded and free access to local public healthcare facilities for immediate relief from any heat-related issue. 

Immediate Relief Measures During Work: 

• Waste pickers and other waste workers should be provided access to clean drinking water and hygienic sanitation facilities. Given the challenges with existing public sanitation facilities and mustering points, this should be a high priority for the municipal body while implementing the BCAP action tracks. 
• Waste pickers and other waste workers should be provided with ORS, buttermilk and other hydrating liquids or free access to the same at government-run spaces, especially during summer months. 
• Adequate provisioning of resting areas for waste workers in public or government-run and accessible spaces. The recent extension of open hours of public parks in Bangalore is a welcome step in the same direction, however, there are challenges in its implementation. 
• Changing the fabric of uniforms for municipal workers to allow for ease of movement, and comfort for work during hot hours.

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to the following individuals for their invaluable contributions:

Illustrations by Geetanjali

Waste Workers:

• Nirosha
• Kumuda
• Indira
• Leelavathi
• Halima

Hasiru Dala Staff:

• Gowtham
• Pavan
• Sneha
• Praveen
• Nalini
• Bianca

Their insights, support, and dedication have been instrumental in developing this article. Together, we strive to amplify the voices of waste workers and discuss the challenges faced by waste pickers.

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Author: Kumuda C.S

In today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, the need for gender-inclusive design has become increasingly apparent, particularly concerning machinery. Traditionally, industrial equipment has been designed with male users in mind, often overlooking the unique needs and perspectives of women in the workforce. However, as industries strive for greater diversity and inclusivity, the concept of women-friendly machinery is gaining momentum. This blog post explores the significance of such machinery in solid waste management and its impact on efficiency, safety, and empowerment in the workplace.

The Role of Women in Waste Management in India

In many cities across India, a significant portion of the waste management workforce comprises women, predominantly from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These women have historically faced numerous challenges, including exposure to hazardous materials, physical strain from handling heavy waste, and inadequate sanitation facilities.

Objectives

The introduction of women-friendly machinery in waste management aims to:

• Improve working conditions for women in the sector.
• Increase the efficiency and safety of waste collection and processing.
• Empower women by providing them with better tools and training.

Implementation

The implementation of women-friendly tools and machinery includes:

• Mechanised Waste Collection Carts: Ergonomically designed to reduce physical strain, these lightweight carts feature easy-to-push handles, making them more manageable for women workers.
• Shredder and Baling Machines: Small-scale shredders and compactors designed for women reduce waste volume, making it easier to manage. These machines are engineered to operate with minimal physical effort.

Benefits of Women-Friendly Machinery

1. Improved Working Conditions:
   • Reduced physical strain and related health issues due to the use of mechanised carts and shredders.
   • Enhanced safety through protective gear and training.
2. Increased Efficiency:
   • Higher efficiency in waste collection and processing, leading to cleaner neighbourhoods.
   • Better segregation of waste at source, thanks to awareness and training programs.
3. Empowerment and Inclusion:
   • Increased confidence and job satisfaction among women workers.
   • Greater participation of women in decision-making processes within their cooperatives and organizations.

Challenges

1. Initial Resistance:
   • Fear of operating machinery.
   • Resistance to adopting new machinery due to unfamiliarity and fear of job loss.
   • Overcoming cultural barriers where waste management is traditionally seen as a male-dominated sector.
2. Maintenance of Machinery:
   • Ensuring regular maintenance and availability of spare parts.
   • Providing ongoing technical support, training in machinery maintenance, and troubleshooting assistance.

Case Study: Hasiru Dala’s Initiative in Nagawala

Hasiru Dala, in collaboration with Ashraya Hastha Trust, has been working with the Gram Panchayat of Nagawala in Mysore Taluk under the “Sustainable Solid Waste Management Gram Panchayat” project for the past 1.7 years. The goal is to institutionalize zero-waste practices in the gram panchayat to ensure the project’s sustainability in the long term. Key processes include:

• Waste Segregation at Source: Households and commercial establishments are encouraged to separate waste into wet, dry, and hazardous categories.
• Collection: Regular services using waste collection vehicles, with the Gram Panchayat Level Federation (GPLF) women’s group in Nagawala playing a crucial role. These women have been trained to drive and operate the collection vehicles efficiently.
• Treatment and Processing:
  • Recycling: Sorting, cleaning, and processing recyclable materials into new products. Recyclables are baled using a baling machine for easier storage and transportation.

Composting: Organic waste is biologically decomposed to produce compost using the windrow method or vermicomposting.

Machinery in Use

Two main types of machinery are involved in processing solid waste:

Baling Machine: Compresses recyclable and reject waste into bundles that are easier to store and transport. The women-friendly baling machine at Nagawala’s solid waste treatment plant is designed for ease of use, with a hydraulic system, button operation, and sensors. It can be operated by one person and is efficient for gram panchayat-level waste management.

Shredding Machine: Used to shred collected wet waste into smaller pieces, speeding up the composting process.

Solar Energy for Waste Processing:

In addition to the women-friendly machinery, sustainability measures have been implemented at the Nagawala facility. The Selco Foundation has installed solar panels to power the Solid Waste Management (SWM) plant. Currently, all the machinery, lights, and fans in the plant are running on solar energy, with a solar panel capacity of 3.2 KW and an inverter capacity of 12 KW. This solarification represents a transformative approach to enhancing sustainability and energy efficiency in waste processing. By integrating solar power, the facility significantly reduces its reliance on fossil fuels, lowers operational costs, and minimizes its carbon footprint. This initiative supports the plant’s core objective of effective waste management and aligns with broader goals of promoting a circular economy and community resilience through clean energy solutions.

Conclusion

The introduction of women-friendly machinery in the solid waste management sector has significantly improved the health, safety, and efficiency of both women workers and the system. Addressing the specific needs of women workers has enhanced their working conditions and empowered them to take a more active role in waste management processes. Continued support and expansion of such initiatives could lead to broader societal benefits and more sustainable waste management practices.

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to the following individuals for their invaluable contributions:

Hasiru Dala Staff:

• Mangal

Their insights, support, and dedication have been instrumental in developing this article. Together, we strive to amplify the voices of waste workers and discuss the challenges faced by waste pickers.

Author: G Nagaraj (Plog Raja)	 Edited By: Hasiru Dala

The Swachh Bharat Mission, India’s nationwide cleanliness drive, has reshaped urban and rural landscapes across the country. While government initiatives form the backbone of this ambitious mission, its success hinges on the active participation of citizens. One of the most remarkable examples of grassroots involvement comes from “The Indian Ploggers Army,” a movement that has united thousands in the fight against litter and environmental degradation.

Plogging, a combination of jogging and picking up litter, has gained widespread popularity in India, thanks in large part to the tireless efforts of The Indian Ploggers Army. Over the past seven years, this dedicated group has organized over 1,003 cleanup activities, or “plogs,” across 40 cities nationwide. Their achievements are not just measured in numbers, but in the growing environmental consciousness they’ve sparked.

A Grassroots Movement Takes Root

The success of The Indian Ploggers Army can be attributed to several factors. First and foremost, their unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship has resonated with people across the country. Their mission is simple yet powerful: cleaning up public spaces and inspiring others to do the same. By fostering a sense of ownership and pride in local communities, they’ve empowered citizens to become active participants in maintaining cleaner surroundings.

Community engagement lies at the heart of their operations. By involving local residents in plogging activities, The Indian Ploggers Army has transformed waste collection into a shared responsibility. This grassroots approach has cultivated a sense of unity and accountability, making the cleanliness mission not just a government initiative but a collective movement.

Collaboration with Civic Authorities

While community engagement has been pivotal, another crucial element of The Indian Ploggers Army’s success has been their collaboration with local civic authorities. Municipal bodies across cities have extended logistical support to the movement, providing tools, waste disposal mechanisms, and, most importantly, official recognition. These partnerships have amplified the impact of the plogging movement, not only by enabling larger and more frequent cleanup drives but also by raising awareness about the broader importance of waste management.

In turn, The Indian Ploggers Army has helped bring attention to the pressing issue of solid waste management in India. Their work has highlighted the importance of segregating waste, reducing the use of single-use plastics, and adopting sustainable alternatives. This focus on long-term solutions has garnered the movement considerable attention, not only from local communities but from the central government as well. In fact, the founder of the Ploggers Army has twice been recognized as a “Swachhata Hero” by the Swachh Survekshan, India’s annual cleanliness survey.

The Man Behind the Movement: Raj ‘Plogman’

The movement’s founder, Raj—affectionately known as “Plogman” and “Cupman”—began this journey with a simple observation. Eight years ago, while cycling in Bangalore, Raj noticed a group of people beautifying the walls along the Windsor Manor bridge. Intrigued by their work, he spoke to them and discovered an interesting phenomenon: areas that are clean and well-maintained tend to remain litter-free, while those already polluted attract even more waste.

This realization lit a spark in Raj, and he decided to do something about the many “black spots” in his city—places marred by garbage, where litter accumulated seemingly without end. At first, he joined other like-minded groups and began picking up litter himself, often accompanied by his young daughter. However, it wasn’t until late 2016 that he discovered the concept of plogging. Drawing on his passion for running, Raj began jogging while collecting trash, quickly scaling the activity across Bangalore. What began as a solitary mission soon turned into a powerful community movement, fueled by Raj’s dream of a cleaner, more responsible India.

Expanding the Mission: Sustainability, Hygiene, and Outreach

As the Ploggers Army gained momentum, Raj began to expand the mission beyond simple litter collection. Recognizing that plastic pollution was a major environmental hazard, he began advocating for sustainable hygiene practices, particularly among women. In mid-2019, he launched efforts to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene, a topic often overlooked in discussions about waste management. Inspired by the revolutionary work of Arunachalam Muruganandam, known as “Pad Man” for his advocacy of menstrual health, Raj began promoting the use of menstrual cups as a sustainable alternative to single-use sanitary products.

Corporate and NGO Support: Amplifying the Impact

As The Indian Ploggers Army gained national recognition, their influence began to extend into the corporate and NGO sectors. Many organizations saw the value in partnering with this dynamic, grassroots movement to promote environmental sustainability. Corporations have sponsored cleanup drives, while NGOs have collaborated with the Ploggers Army to spread awareness about issues like waste segregation and reducing single-use plastics.

The numbers tell the story of the movement’s success: plogs have been organized in over 50 locations in Bangalore alone, and in 35 other cities across India. Today, the Ploggers Army boasts approximately 350 active members who regularly participate in a variety of environmental initiatives. These include not just litter collection, but also composting, waste segregation, and efforts to reduce single-use disposables in everyday life.

A Call to Action: Local Solutions for Global Problems

The Indian Ploggers Army has always emphasized the importance of local action in solving global environmental challenges. From reducing disposable usage to embracing the principles of reuse, repair, and refurbish, the message is clear: every small action matters. Even in times of social distancing, Raj encourages individuals to take responsibility for their personal waste and to act as stewards of their own communities.

Conclusion: A Movement That Unites

The story of The Indian Ploggers Army is a powerful testament to the potential of citizen-driven initiatives. Through determination, creativity, and collaboration, they have transformed plogging into a national movement, one that continues to inspire people to take action in their own lives. Their work illustrates that meaningful change doesn’t always come from the top down. It can start with one person, one plog, and one piece of litter picked up off the ground. Together, citizens and governments can create a cleaner, more sustainable India—one step, and one plog, at a time.

by: Hasiru Dala and Team

In the heart of Hubli-Dharwad, Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatha (SDM) Medical College is a prominent institution with a bustling campus, home to over 3,700 people. This campus generates around 700-750 kg of wet waste and 400-500 kg of dry waste daily. For years, this waste went to local dumping yards, creating large piles and raising environmental concerns. To address this, SDM College partnered with Hasiru Dala in June 2021 to establish an on-campus Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC). This partnership aimed to better manage the waste and create a cleaner, more sustainable environment.

A New Approach to Waste Management

Under this initiative, six waste pickers from Lakshmishinganakeri in Dharwad, previously working at the garbage yard, were employed to sort and process waste at the campus. They were later joined by a supervisor, and all SDM staff received training on waste management practices. This DWCC has allowed for significant waste sorting, with over 60% of the waste now being effectively separated for recycling or composting.

Challenges and Solutions

Initially, SDM College faced challenges in composting the wet waste due to high oil content from canteen food, making it difficult to create quality compost. The team decided to send the wet waste to a piggery instead, where it could still be used sustainably. Another issue was the high usage of plastic bags for waste collection, contributing an additional 60-70 kg of plastic each month. By switching to buckets instead of plastic bags, the campus has reduced plastic waste by approximately 40 kg.

Community Efforts and Results

Thanks to continuous support from SDM’s Health Inspectors, staff, and community awareness programs, the waste sorting and collection process has seen great success. Today, SDM College manages to keep around 60-70% of its waste out of landfills. The success of this DWCC has inspired further actions, such as the daily collection of waste from the nearby township, reducing odours and improving hygiene.

Expanding the Impact: A New DWCC at Hubli Airport

Following the success at SDM College, Hasiru Dala launched another DWCC at Hubli Airport in September 2023. This facility, staffed by waste pickers from Saraswatipur and 1 Sorters from Veerapur Oni (6 Sorters and 1 supervisor ), collects about 40 kg of dry waste and 5-6 kg of wet waste daily. Composting has also started at this new centre, contributing further to waste reduction efforts in the region.

Conclusion:

The transformation at SDM Medical College is a testament to how thoughtful waste management can positively impact communities and the environment. By employing local waste pickers and embracing sustainable practices, the college has set a powerful precedent for institutions across India. The success of the Dry Waste Collection Centre not only improved campus hygiene but also inspired initiatives beyond its borders, such as the new facility at Hubli Airport. These efforts highlight the importance of community involvement in tackling environmental challenges. As more institutions follow suit, we edge closer to a cleaner future—one responsible step at a time.

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to the following individuals for their invaluable contributions:

Photo Edits: Lahari.S.Olety

Lead Author: Shahid Afrid

Hasiru Dala Staff:

• Manjunath
• Nalini Shekar
• Rameshwara Bevoor

Their insights, support, and dedication have been instrumental in developing this article. Together, we strive to amplify the voices of waste workers and discuss the challenges faced by waste pickers.

On Gratitude, Resilience, and Partnership

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Author: Surabhi Paraki

The heartwarming story of the operators at Ward 195’s DWCC

It’s 1:00 p.m. on a Friday when I walk through the unusually sweltering heat into the Ward 195 DWCC in Gottigere. At first glimpse, all we see are, who we assume, the sorters at the centre. That is until a woman with a warm smile stood up, made her way to me, and invited me inside. Shadowing her was a middle-aged man who introduced himself as her husband. This pleasant duo are the operators of the ward, Sathya, and Paramesh; hands-on workers, as evidenced by their involvement with the sorters. I asked if they were free for a quick chat, and they agreed enthusiastically, insisting on providing me with chairs despite me assuring them that the stools would do just fine. 

We begin our chat with a round of introductions. Paramesh starts off; he has the ease of someone who has been asked to tell this story several times before. “I’m Paramesh; I work as an operator in Ward 195. I’m a native of Bangalore. My wife’s name is Sathya. We have four children together. My son is completing his ITI in electronics, and my daughter is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree, and also, my younger son is in 6th grade, and my youngest daughter is in 4th grade,” he finishes the last sentence with a hint of pride in his voice. 

Sathya goes next. “My name is Satya, my family is from Pondicherry, but I was born and raised in Bangalore for a large part of my life. I studied in Pondicherry till second grade, and once I moved here, I was pulled out of school and started working, which is when I got into waste-picking. I have worked in this field for decades now. I met him while working in one of the godowns,” she says, looking at Paramesh. “Ours was a love marriage” she adds shyly. 

Having broken the ice, we delve into their childhoods. “I lost my mother at a very young age. I don’t know much about her, I don’t even know what she looks like. My father remarried, and I couldn’t build a good rapport with my stepmother, so I ran away from home. I was 12 at the time. I joined Don Bosco and met Father George, a faculty member, who took care of me and encouraged me to further my education.” Paramesh narrates, and the conversation steers towards his educational qualifications. “I completed my ITI in electronics from Bellary before coming to Bangalore. I didn’t go back into the IT field, however.”

Upon asking why he didn’t continue in his area of education, he mentioned that he never got the guidance he wanted in the field of electronics. “The theory I learnt and the practical application I saw in a few TV shops I worked in were worlds apart,” he added.

Talking about his career, he said, “I worked in a couple of scrap shops and then started working in a godown as a record writer. That’s when I decided I wanted to start my own business and started my scrap shop. I’m 45 currently, and I’ve been working with waste for almost 25 years now. I was rather successful initially, but due to a few of my own shortcomings, mistakes, and habits, I lost a lot of money in the later years. I turned to a few odd jobs like painting, construction, etc. But I wasn’t satisfied with the roles, and came back to Gottigere, and around that same time, Hasiru Dala was building a DWCC in the same area. My wife was the one who asked me to enquire about what they were doing, and that is where our relationship with Hasiru Dala started. We have been running this centre for close to 11 years now.” He adds as he reminisces.

It’s Sathya’s turn now. She keeps her story brief. “I started working in waste segregation at a young age. My parents used to fight all the time, and they even pulled me out of school. They were always at work, and they took me along with them, which is how I got into waste picking. I’ve been working in this profession since I was 12, maybe even younger. I used to segregate plastics before, and I’ve also done some occasional construction work, but this is a field I know a lot about, so it makes sense for me to continue my career in the waste management sector.”

Despite my hesitations about invading his privacy, I asked Paramesh if he was comfortable talking about the period in his life when he suffered losses. He laughs a little at my question.  “I made a fair amount of money in the early years of running my scrap shop. I guess your activities depend on your friends’ circles. Some folks are good. Some aren’t. My friends got me to invest in litigious properties. They got me into gambling and horse race betting. I made a lot of losses while also developing an addiction. My losses also led to a drinking problem. It was the lowest point in my life. I had hit rock bottom. I wasn’t able to feed my kids. I didn’t think things through with my investments, nor did I consider that I could develop an addiction. But it happened, and I know now that I made mistakes”

He tells me that it was one of the most difficult times in his life. “We didn’t have electricity, water, or even food. My wife was the one who kept the household running by doing several odd jobs that put food on the table, at least for our children. I’ve lost count of how many nights the two of us have gone hungry”

Paramesh tells me the story with a matter-of-fact tone in his voice. He quit gambling eight years ago and hasn’t had a single drink in almost three years. When asked about how he quit, he had a rather simple, straightforward answer. “I learnt the habits, so it was on me to unlearn them. I didn’t really receive any guidance or support; I didn’t have any deaddiction programmes. I realised that my money is the only money that I’ll ever have and that it was important for me to save it.”

I was curious about their journey in the waste-management centre, and Sathya explained it succinctly. “As I said, I had been working in waste segregation for a long time, and I had already gained a fair amount of knowledge about the field. He’d also gained some information about the selling of waste through the scrap shops he used to work in. We decided to put this knowledge to better use and start our own scrap shop. We set it up sometime in 2002. This wasn’t a decision we took lightly, nor was it without forethought. We only set it up once we felt that we knew enough.”

Despite the vast experience they had before they set up their Dry Waste Collection Centre, Paramesh says the journey wasn’t an easy one. “We were on the verge of giving up on three separate occasions. We even took the keys to the centre to Nalini Ma’am because we thought we couldn’t continue running this operation any longer. Today, however, I consider myself to be a successful operator. I employ over 30 people. I have five collection vehicles of my own. I’m ready to run 10 such centres if needed now. I neither make massive profits nor do I make even minor losses. We work here alongside the sorters at all times. Sathya and I take shifts and work through the day and night. We’re passionate about the work we do. This waste is what puts food on the table for us all. We employ people from all backgrounds, in fact, A lot of our sorters have undergraduate and even graduate degrees. But due to multiple reasons, they have come here for work. It would have been easy for us to see their qualifications and feel inferior, but we are proud of our achievements, we are proud of how far we’ve come. We’ve struggled, we’ve overcome, and we’ve succeeded. Now we feed not just our family, but also ensure that 30 other families also have food on the table through our centre,” they tell me.

Sathya and Paramesh believe that gratitude is an extremely important part of being truly successful. “We owe a large part of our success to Hasiru Dala. Without them. We wouldn’t have grown to the extent that we have now. They have supported us from the very beginning. They encouraged us to continue even when times were tough. They kept us going,” Sathya tells me.

The initial days weren’t easy on them. The centre either received only unsegregated waste, or the waste-pickers would sort the waste by themselves, keep the high-value waste to themselves, and send across only the low-value waste to the DWCCs. “Sorting and collecting generated expenses for us, not revenues. Things started turning around for us only after the city started door-to-door collection. Ours was the first ward in Bomannahalli to initiate it. It wasn’t an overnight success for us, though. It took us some time to earn enough to pay our workers regularly. Our workers are the source of our livelihoods. The day they decide they don’t want to work for us anymore is the day we have to shut down. They’re the ones who truly run the show. So we have done our best to keep them satisfied. We owe them our meals, after all,” Paramesh says.

Gratitude is a common theme you will find in any conversation you have with him and Sathya. As the conversation naturally drifted, we eventually got around to talking about the inevitable—COVID-19. Paramesh tells me about how despite the unprecedented times that came with the pandemic, he was able to not only sustain the business but also help the people around him thanks to Hasiru Dala’s support throughout. “I saw everyone around me struggle, and I was incredibly grateful that everyone supported by Hasiru Dala had three square meals a day. I am glad I was able to help others in whatever way I could,” he says.

When I asked him about the future, he said that there was some uncertainty since there were plans to centralise the waste collection systems. “We just have to wait and see, we never what the future holds for us. No matter what happens, I will do my best to keep working in waste management. I will keep ensuring that I divert as much waste as I can from my end.”

It’s almost time for me to wrap up, so I asked him if he had any final thoughts. His answer was profound and thoughtful. 

“I just want people to know that there is always hope. They can reach rock bottom, but even then, there is hope. It’s important to keep persevering. I would have been nowhere if I hadn’t held onto whatever fleeting hope I had that my life would turn around. We all have those moments when things start getting better for us. We just have to wait and work towards it and seize every opportunity that comes our way. That’s all I ask of anyone who reads about my life, to learn that there is always hope.”

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Author: Shahid Afrid

From 2020 to 2023, Hasiru Dala ran a program called “Empowering Waste Pickers: Financial Literacy Training and Financial Inclusion Initiative” in Bangalore. This effort was part of the Saamuhika Shakti Initiative, supported by the H&M Foundation. The program reached out to over 3,500 waste pickers across 123 locations in Bangalore Urban and Rural districts, Karnataka.

The main goal of this program was to help waste pickers understand and manage their finances better. By teaching them important financial skills and helping them access formal banking services, the program aimed to improve the socio-economic conditions of this often-overlooked community.

Who Benefited?

The program targeted three main groups:

1. Waste Pickers: Those working informally, whether on the streets or in facilities like Dry Waste Collection Centers (DWCCs).
2. Families of Waste Pickers: Including spouses, children, parents, and other relatives.
3. Other Community Members: Residents living in the same informal communities as waste pickers.

Key Objectives

Financial Literacy Training: The program provided waste pickers with basic financial knowledge, such as budgeting, saving, and understanding loans and investments. Over 2,800 waste pickers attended these training sessions, designed to be interactive and easy to understand, using methods that worked well for people with low literacy levels.

“I used to spend all my income in a day because I didn’t know the importance of saving. But now I understand that we should save some money and get insurance policies.” –  Waste Picker

Access to Financial Services: The program worked with banks and other institutions to create financial products tailored to waste pickers’ needs. As a result, 1,600 new bank accounts were opened for waste pickers, providing them with a gateway to formal financial services.

Entrepreneurial Skills: Around 300 waste pickers were trained to explore other ways to earn money, such as starting small businesses. They were taught basic business skills, including how to keep track of income and expenses.

Advocacy and Community Engagement: The program advocated for waste pickers to be recognised as essential workers in waste management. It also worked to raise

awareness about the financial challenges waste pickers face and the importance of including them in formal financial systems.5.  Partnerships and Collaboration: The program partnered with local governments, NGOs, financial institutions, and businesses to create a supportive environment for waste pickers.

Outcomes

The program aimed to achieve the following results:

Training Methods

Given the low literacy levels in the waste picker community, the program used creative and practical training methods. These included:

• Customized Modules: Simple lessons on financial literacy, budgeting, saving, and banking, tailored to the needs of waste pickers.
• Interactive Workshops: Activities like role-playing, group discussions, and case studies to make learning more engaging.
• Visual Aids: Tools like infographics, charts, and videos were used to make financial concepts easier to understand.
• Printed Materials: Manuals and worksheets provided community members with resources to refer to later.
• Local Language Resources: Materials were provided in the languages spoken by the community, with help from local translators.

Financial Literacy Program (FLP)

The FLP had three main components:

1. Community-Level Training: Held within informal settlements, these sessions focused on basic financial topics like saving, budgeting, and understanding banking. 2,500 waste pickers attended these sessions.
2. Training at DWCCs: Starting in 2021, this training included entrepreneurial skills and was aimed at waste pickers working in Dry Waste Collection Centres. Over 300 waste pickers participated in this training.
3. FLP Champions Training: In 2023, a new component was introduced, where 31 participants were trained to become Financial Literacy Champions. These champions would help their communities continue to learn and benefit from the program even after it ended.

Financial Inclusion Services (FIS)

The FIS program offered various financial services to waste pickers, both in their communities and at DWCCs. Some of these services included:

Challenges

The program faced several challenges:

1.  Lack of Documentation: Many waste pickers didn’t have essential identification documents, making it difficult for them to access banking services. The program helped over 1,200 waste pickers obtain the necessary documents.

2.  Trust and Awareness: Waste pickers were often wary of formal financial institutions due to past negative experiences. Building trust and spreading awareness was crucial to overcoming this barrier.

3.  Irregular Income: Waste pickers’ incomes were often unpredictable, making it hard for them to use traditional financial services. The program had to adapt by offering flexible options.

4.  Low Digital Literacy: Many waste pickers were unfamiliar with digital tools, so the program also focused on improving their digital skills.

5.  Cultural Sensitivity: The program had to consider the unique cultural context of the waste picker community to ensure its success.

Learnings and Adaptations

Based on the challenges faced, the program made several adaptations:

1.  Innovative Training Methods: The program developed participatory tools like games and storytelling to make learning more effective.

2.  Tailored Financial Products: The program worked with banks to create financial products suited to the specific needs of waste pickers.

3.  Community Involvement: Waste pickers were involved in designing and implementing the program, ensuring it met their needs.

4.  Advocacy: The program advocated for policies supporting the financial inclusion of marginalised communities.

Conclusion

The “Empowering Waste Pickers” program made significant strides in improving the financial literacy and inclusion of waste pickers in Bangalore. By addressing the unique challenges, they face and providing tailored support, the program helped many waste pickers gain better control over their finances and work towards a more secure and sustainable future. 

Thanks to this program, around 3500+ waste pickers now have the basic financial knowledge to navigate their financial decisions and the icing on the cake is that a few of these waste pickers have also embarked on the entrepreneurship journey as well!

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to the following individuals for their invaluable contributions:

Photo Edits: Lahari.S.Olety

Hasiru Dala Staff:

• Kumar K
• Nalini Shekar
• Ravichandra R B

Volunteer:

• Chandana HS(Edited Blog)

Their insights, support, and dedication have been instrumental in developing this article. Together, we strive to amplify the voices of waste workers and discuss the challenges faced by waste pickers.

On Perseverance, Passion, and Leadership

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Author: Surabhi Paraki

Indumathi is the ever-smiling operator of Ward 52. She manages not just the one ward, but two more, and also the textile recovery facility (TRF) that collects and manages textile waste from across the city. She has a story that is bound to tug at every heartstring. 

“I am the oldest of two daughters, I lost my mother at a very young age, I think I was around 6 or 7 years old. I couldn’t continue schooling a little after that, I only studied until 6th grade, mostly because I was trying to earn a living for my family. I sold flowers early in the morning, and in the evenings, I’d go to tailor shops and learn how to stitch hooks and buttons onto dresses. I spent the first eleven years of my life in Tamil Nadu, which was home, but I soon moved to Bengaluru to live in a relative’s house. I still had to provide for my sister and me, so I continued to work.” — Indumathi

“I ultimately found a rented house in a small alley in Mandipete. I moved in there with my grandmother and sister. Both my sister and I used to work so we could sustain ourselves. A few years down the road, I got married, but life continued to throw challenges my way. My child was born with a heart condition, we had to make multiple trips to private hospitals.”

Indumathi says that her relatives didn’t provide her with any support during these trying times, and that she and her husband were left to fend for themselves. 

“Every bit of our salary went towards our child’s treatment. We even had to take multiple loans, and that burden weighed down on our shoulders constantly. The situation got so dire that we went back to my hometown. I stayed in my father’s home for exactly 22 days, after which he turned us away, saying that if my husband and I wanted to lead a life together, we had to build it entirely by ourselves, and he didn’t help us.” She says

The couple then made their way back to Bengaluru. “It took a lot of courage from our end to make the move back to the city. We used to live in Nagawara, and I used to clean homes. During this time I came across a scrap shop in Shivajinagar. They used to sell second-hand clothes. I used to borrow small amounts of money and buy clothes from this store and sell them door-to-door. I would buy sarees for 20-25 rupees per piece and sell them at 100-125 rupees. I even used my tailoring knowledge to make blouses for the sarees that I sold.” she tells me.

She once again switched jobs, this time, to ensure that her child could go to school. “Because of my child’s heart condition, the doctor said we’d have to keep monitoring their health, and that my kid would have to refrain from running around and exerting themself too much.

“I started working as a caretaker at the same school my child went to. That way I could take care of my child while also being on the job. The teachers there even offered me a role as a tailor for the school uniforms, but I couldn’t take them up on the offer because it required me to have some free time and peace at home”

I asked her what troubled her home life, and she told me that she used to be harassed by loan sharks constantly, the anxiety and fear that she lived in debt didn’t let her feel secure in her everyday activities.

“I did other odd jobs, however. Manjunath, who still works with me in this DWCC, had a scrap shop run by his mother, Gowramma. I used to sweep the floor, maintain the record books, and even handle some financials there. I saw that there was good money in waste management. I even used to share a lot of my troubles with Gowramma, and she was the one who suggested that I should start waste picking, and encouraged me to continue working multiple jobs to earn more.”

Despite working day and night, it became difficult for me to keep up with my loans. Around the same time, my husband committed suicide due to the constant harassment he faced. I was distraught and felt aimless. Gowramma saw my plight and asked me to start a scrap shop of my own. She even helped me by allowing me to stay in one of her houses for free for a bit. She put me in touch with someone who was selling their scrap shop and even helped me out with an initial investment of Rs. 50,000. I bought the godown, but I didn’t receive any waste for three months straight. I was feeling a little lost, but then I decided to talk to the owners of a liquor store nearby and reach out to them to collect their waste. I used to collect, segregate, and even sell the waste all by myself and used that money to pay rent. I even started building relationships with waste pickers and asked them to start giving me the material that they collect.”

The waste pickers were sceptical about Indumathi’s ability to pay them, since she was facing financial hardships of her own. Despite facing doubt from everyone, she worked hard to gain their trust, and they eventually began working with her. One of those waste pickers still works as a driver in her ward to this day. 

“A fire broke out in my godown once, so we had to move out from there because the landlord was not willing to let us continue to stay. So I had to go to a new godown in Jinkethimanahalli. This is when I was introduced to Hasiru Dala.”

Indumathi has been a part of Hasiru Dala’s journey since its inception. She tells me she is grateful for the support she has received over the years.

“They have always looked out for me since the very beginning. Even in the early days, they used to visit me regularly, and always checked in with me about my needs. They supported me with my children’s school fees, my rent, and other expenses. They even supported my children to get scholarships in their later years. My daughter received a lot of support from her school as well, her teachers all pooled in money to help with her expenses as well. By this time, we had received our Waste Picker IDs. Things started changing then, slowly, but surely”

Indumathi was given her DWCC at around the same time. The initial days weren’t easy. Segregation of waste was not a common practice. The centre received only low-value material, and the profit margins were shallow.

“We had three vehicles in the beginning, but we slowly began to expand, the MoU was under my name by 2016. The centre has grown exponentially since then. We have three wards, a textile recovery facility, and even an informal education centre here. It acts as a pre-nursery for children of different ages, so they can learn the basics before they get into a formal school. None of this would have been possible without the support I have constantly received from Hasiru Dala”

Indumathi is proud of all that she has achieved, and has equally big dreams for all those who work under her. 

“Some of our workers are still daily or weekly wage earners. Living in a city like Bangalore on their meagre earnings is not easy. I want to be able to improve their financial situation through my centres. I want them to grow with me, and earn well above the minimum wage required to live in the city. Everyone deserves to earn a livable wage. I am determined to help them achieve this. I am confident that it will happen, I am learning how to be a better operator every day. I hope to formalise all my workers one day” She says, outlining her hopes for the future.

Over the years, Indumathi has received numerous accolades for her work, and has travelled to several countries, advocating for a just transition for waste pickers, and acting as the voice of the community. Her experience shines through in the way she narrates her story without breaking a sweat, how she answers all my questions about the waste in her ward as we walk around after the interview, and how efficiently she runs four different operations seamlessly. She currently employs over 80 workers under her, and works towards a better future for not just herself, but all of them as well.

On Persistence, Hope, and Tenacity

by: Hasiru Dala and Team – Lead Author: Surabhi Paraki

Nagarathna is an exceptional leader and a Dry Waste Collection Center operator at Ward 82 (Garudacharpalya). She has overcome numerous challenges that life has thrown her way, and now stands tall as an entrepreneur and bread-winner.

Nagarathna is the oldest among her siblings, she tells me.

“I didn’t know about my family for the first several years of my life. My parents left me under my grandparents’ care at just nine months old because I had a few health complications as an infant. My grandparents raised me as their own daughter, and I always viewed them as my parents, and knew no other family except them.”

She was in 5th grade when she met her family for the first time, and it wasn’t under pleasant circumstances. “My grandfather passed away, and my grandmother also died within a year out of heartbreak. I had seen my parents around occasionally before, but it was only after my grandparents’ passing that they introduced themselves to me as their parents. I barely knew them so I wasn’t keen on going to live with them, but I had no other choice.”

Her life changed overnight. She moved from her hometown to Bangalore to be with her parents, but city life was hard for her to get accustomed to in the initial days. She felt like a stranger in her own home.

“My parents got me to join St. Philomena’s School because one of our relatives used to run it, and I started attending my classes there along with my siblings. The change was hard on me. My mother never considered me as her own, and didn’t treat me well. My grandparents never forced any chores on me, but here it was different. I had to do all the work around the house.”

While in 6th grade, her father was arrested for reasons unbeknownst to her.

 “He said that he was wrongfully accused of a crime he never committed, but there was not much we could do. Our relatives only added fuel to the fire by taunting my family, so my mother decided to shift all of us as far away from them as possible. So we ended up moving from Mahalakshmi Layout to Kurubarahalli, which was a desolate locality with sparsely populated houses. I joined Shanthinikethan School there, but was forced to drop out because my youngest sister had to be taken care of. My mother insisted that I stay back and help around the house. I managed to complete 6th grade with great difficulty.”

Nagarathna was keen on not giving up on her education. She made sure that she attended 7th grade no matter the circumstances. She decided to take her sister along with her to school, and sat outside the classroom, listening to her lessons while still taking care of her sister’s food and other necessities.

“The school authorities tried to send me away but I wouldn’t budge. One day I was tired of them scolding me, so I burst into tears and explained my situation to them, and they were finally a little more sympathetic towards me. I told them that I really wanted to continue my education, and I was willing to prove that I am still a diligent student by writing the final exam, but I just needed that one chance to prove myself to them.”

The school finally allowed her to take her exam, she passed with flying colours. She said that she always made sure she paid attention to the subjects being taught, even when she had to listen through the windows of the classroom. My persistence ensured that I didn’t miss out on my education. By 8th grade, my sister was old enough to start attending school, so from then to grade 10, my schooling went on without too many hiccups. I did really well in my 10th boards as well, and got good grades.”

However, life took an unexpected turn again when a married man began to harass her and her family for her hand in marriage. “I decided to run away. I wanted to complete my education no matter what. I was very familiar with the bus routes in Bangalore at this point, so I boarded a bus to my cousin sister’s house in Jalahalli Cross and didn’t look back.”

Her cousin took her in for a couple of months, but the man eventually found her and tried to harm her cousin’s family as well. “I didn’t want to risk their lives so I decided to place faith in my future and move back home. I eventually was forced into marriage with someone who already had a wife. From then onwards, life became hell for me.”

Her husband was physically abusive and treated Nagarthna with extreme contempt. “I was 17 when I got pregnant with my first son. Both his first wife and I gave birth at the same time and in the same hospital. I think she harboured ill will against me, so she lied to our husband that a different man visited my ward at night when I gave birth. This made the abuse only worse. My husband even tried to kill my son with a stone, but I managed to save my son with great difficulty.”

Two years after giving birth to her son, Nagarthna fell pregnant once again. “I was not ready to face the kind of torturous situations I faced during my first pregnancy this time around. I did everything I could to make sure I lose the baby, but nothing worked. I couldn’t even afford an abortion at the time. I gave birth to my second son just a few months later.”

It was around this time that Nagarathna’s husband met with a disastrous accident that left him with a broken leg and the inability to walk without support. “My husband must’ve had an epiphany after this accident because he then gave me money to study, and I completed my degree through a correspondence course, and made sure I got whatever additional income by making incense sticks, teaching Hindi to students, hemming shoes, and doing other odd jobs that I could at home while still taking care of my children.”

Nagarathna’s husband died of multiple organ complications in 2004. She had to fight with her husband’s first family for her son’s right to perform the last rites along with them. 

“Around this time I was working in an NGO called Saaksharathe, and helped them in data collection. Because I worked in social services, the people around me gave me a site for free to build a house on. I approached people I knew through my late husband, my family, and others and got construction items for low or no cost, and the community around me even helped me with constructing a small one-room building. I did a lot of the construction work by myself as well, and finally built the house within just a month and a half.”

A few years down the line, Nagarathna was identified by her NGO to conduct a survey of all the number of households in areas that were designated to them. All those who participated in conducting the survey were then told that they had the opportunity to start collecting dry waste from each household in the localities that were allotted to them.

“A lot of women were reluctant because they saw waste work as undignified, but there were a few of us who were willing to give it a shot. The government gave us the collection vehicles, and we started to collect waste. We would receive 20 rupees per household, and sometimes hotels and other big commercial establishments would pay us extra to clear their waste as well. I finally had a stable income for the first time in my life.”

Just as things started to look upwards for Nagarathna, the rules and regulations changed, and her and all the women who were collecting the waste were pushed out of their jobs. The women got together and organised a strike for their right to continue their work in waste management. This caught the attention of the government officials who allowed them to continue their collection and helped them out with a separate amount for vehicle maintenance. 

She hopes to make waste management better in her ward, and is passionate about learning more about how she can manage waste in the best way possible. “Life has been hard, but I make it work in whatever way I can. I do the sorting here sometimes, I help my workers out however I can, no matter what happens, I will always value this field, because I have fed, and clothed, and raised my kids into independent adults through the money I made because of waste. I owe my life to it. I hope to be able to expand my center, learn more about waste management, and be able to improve recycling for a lot of different materials, and improve the standard of living for my workers as well.”

Nagarathna ends our conversation with a profound statement. “I don’t want to move out of this field. You can train me to work the highest-paying tech job, but I won’t be able to sleep well at night. Working in waste management gives me the satisfaction of doing good for society. I want to work here for as long as I can, learn more everyday, and keep the city clean.”