Davanagere (Karnataka): In an inspirational story of grit and determination, dry waste collection centers in the Davanagere city in Karnataka have changed the lives of those who used to live on rags and little money with women rag pickers turning into entrepreneurs.
The dry waste collection centers under Davanagere Municipal Corporation have helped women to lead a self-respecting life. An organization called 'Green Dal' has played a major role in identifying, organizing and mainstreaming such rag pickers.
It is learnt that Green Dal, which is committed to empowering rag pickers, has identified 1,053 rag pickers in Davanagere. Out of these 39 women were living by picking rags in the garbage disposal unit of Avaragolla village in Davanagere taluk. It was impossible for them to live by picking rags.
Green Dal intervened in such tough times and succeeded in bringing out the people who were picking rags in the garbage disposal unit at Avaragolla village. Pursuant to the Supreme Court order that the dry waste belongs to the rag pickers, the manager of the green division, Gururaj, had appealed to the corporation commissioner to allow the collection of dry garbage under the jurisdiction of the corporation for the women rag pickers.
The life of those who were always waiting for the garbage-carrying vehicles at the dumping yard and ran to get rags as soon as the vehicle arrived has now changed a lot. The corporation commissioner has given green signal to those who were collecting rags to separate dry garbage. The dry waste collection centers have been identified and opened at six places including Township, MCC A Block Super Market, Narahari Shet of Vinobanagar, District Stadium premises and Bhagirath Circle in Davanagere city. The responsibility of managing these centers has been given to six women who were picking rags and they were trained in waste management by the Green Dal organization which helped to change their lives.
"Those who were picking rags were identified and after talking to the corporation, dry waste collection units were opened and women were made entrepreneurs. A total of 6 centers were opened and jobs were given. They are collecting dry waste and sorting the items and getting income from them. Training has been provided for this," Green Dal Manager Gururaj informed.
Rag Pickers-turned-entrepreneurs: Now every woman is in charge of one dry waste collection unit. They go to the houses of their wards in garbage collection vehicles and collect the dry garbage from the houses. They bring it to the dry waste center and separate plastic bottles, packets, coconut shells, milk packets and empty water bottles. The once women rag pickers are living by selling the sorted items and earning money ranging from Rs 15000 to Rs 20,000 rupees per month and lead a comfortable life.
Geeta, one such woman who lives by collecting rags, said, "It was difficult to make a living by picking rags in the garbage disposal unit. The Green Dal organization made us entrepreneurs through a lot of efforts. We are earning 15 to 20 thousand rupees per month. We are also leading a happy life and educating our children."
