Live
- Govt aims at empowerment of women, says Minister Seethakka
- Gold rates in Vijayawada today slashes, check the rates on 14 December, 2024
- Kothagudem: District to play key role in coal production
- Students can achieve greatness through education: Dattatreya
- District-Level Science Exhibition Concludes: 26 projects selected for State-level exhibition
- Atul suicide case: Wife absconds, cops arrest kin
- MP Raghuram demands high-level committee on Polavaram project
- Former KAS officer is successor to Vishva Vokkaliga Mahasamsthana Math
- Nagarkurnool: 3 staff members issued memos; investigation underway
- Govt medical college being constructed without supervision
WOW’s initiative a huge success.
Here is a little initiative that aspires environmental protection, is also proving beneficial for the sanitation workers whose thankless job continuing without impunity for ages. Thanks to the Well-being Out of Waste (WOW), an initiative of the ITC, a diversified multi-business conglomerate.
Warangal: Here is a little initiative that aspires environmental protection, is also proving beneficial for the sanitation workers whose thankless job continuing without impunity for ages. Thanks to the Well-being Out of Waste (WOW), an initiative of the ITC, a diversified multi-business conglomerate.
The aim of the programme is to inculcate the habit of source segregation prior to collection of post-consumer waste. The initiative might sound nothing new, but the programme gives an opportunity to sanitation workers earn a few bucks. Under the programme, the sanitation workers get Rs 4.50 per kilogramme for the dry waste they collected through the push carts in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) area.
In a joint venture with the GWMC, the WOW has set up 18 dry resource collection centres (DRCC) operated by the self-help groups (SHGs) to purchase the dry waste from the sanitation workers across the Corporation. In return, the DRCC will get a margin of Re 1 per kg of dry waste. The refuse collected in the tri-cities is segregated further at the Central Hub located in Balasamudram.
While the paper waste segregated from the refuse will be sent to Bhadrachalam, the plastic and glass waste is sent to Hyderabad for recycling.
Since the initiative is started in September last year, the WOW has collected 450 Metric Tonnes (MT) of dry waste, out of which 120 MT of waste is said to be newspapers, notebooks, magazines etc.Speaking to The Hans India, the WOW Warangal Chapter Operational Manager G Ramesh said: “Albeit the programme is conceptualised for environmental protection and waste management, the initiative also creates a sustainable livelihood for the sanitation workers.
The hope of additional income is expected to keep the sanitation workers’ zeal in collecting the waste, thereby helping the Swachh Bharat.”With the recycling of 120 MT of paper waste collected in the tri-cities, the WOW has saved at least 2,640 trees, according to a conservative estimate. It may be mentioned here that a tonne of recycled paper saves about 22 trees.
Mayor Nannapuneni Narender said: “Besides helping, the sanitation workers earn an additional income, in recognition of their thankless job, the GWMC-WOW’s initiative has also provided 900 children of the 750 sanitation workers with kits consisting of notebooks, pens, pencils and other items worth around Rs 235.”
By: Adepu Mahender
