Over 18,000 of the state’s women have transformed the idea of cleanliness into a sustainable business model
Over 18,000 women from 2,000 self-help groups are responsible for solid waste management in the smaller towns and villages of Karnataka (Photograph: M Raghuram)
Plastics are rapidly vanishing from rural and semi-urban Karnataka, thanks to the efforts of an army of 18,000 women who have worked tirelessly to sensitise the people and remove the non-biodegradable waste from their locality. This crusade to tackle solid waste, which includes plastic, has also ensured economic independence for these women who are part of over 2,000 self-help groups (SHGs) in the state operating in smaller towns and villages.
“People have stopped accepting plastic from shopkeepers. It is only being used in the fish and meat markets because there are no alternatives. But people even reuse these plastic bags several times,” says Priya Salian, a member of the SHG from Laila in Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district.
Designed to cover all 30 districts of Karnataka, the initiative was started in 2021 under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission to provide solid waste management training for women from low-income families. The training is spearheaded by the state’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Energy and Development with support from key state government departments, including rural development and panchayat raj, and rural drinking water and sanitation.
“The ecosystem was created to transform the idea of cleanliness into a sustainable business model by providing alternate livelihood opportunities to women,” says Parameswar Hegde, director, implementation support activities, rural development and panchayat raj department, Karnataka.
 This article was originally published as part of Down To Earth’s special issue dated 1-15 March, 2024. Download the full story for free |
Besides the training, the state government also facilitates SHGs in drawing Memorandums of Understanding with gram panchayats and town administration to integrate the women into waste management processes. The beauty of the initiative is that the SHGs have the flexibility of altering their solid waste management plan, taking into account local challenges.
“In the initial days, households would mix their wet and dry waste and throw it outside their house in polythene bags. The plastic bags had a strong stench and segregating them was a nightmare. So, we carried out a drive where we visited all the houses to sensitise the families on the importance of waste segregation and the need to avoid plastic. Today, source segregation is done in more than 60 per cent of the houses in our village,” says Hameeda Begum, a Swachha Karmika from Kotepura village in Karanataka’s Dakshina Kannada district.
In the temple town of Halebeedu in the state’s Hassan district, the 10-women- strong Yashaswini Swasahaya Gumpu SHG focusses on collecting plastic waste from market places and temple complexes and sellimg it to a waste recycling centre outside the town. “We make at least Rs 25,000 per month, which we distribute among ourselves. Some of us have further created smaller groups in the market and tourist areas,” says Anita. The SHG in Vamanjoor village in Dakshina Kannada district has set up a vermicompost production unit that supplies nurseries and garden shops. “Our product is now used by high-value button mushroom production units that bring good returns. We are not able to meet the demand and are looking at ramping up our production,” says Leela Kundar, leader of the SHG.
The Navodaya Multipurpose Souharda Cooperative Society Limited has the highest 20,532 SHGs across five districts because the cooperative facilitates easy access to credit for low-income women, fostering empowerment and economic stability. “Empowering women has far-reaching implications, from enhancing children’s education levels to improving household economic security and hygiene standards,” says MN Rajendra Kumar, former president of the Karnataka State Co-operative Apex Bank, which provides easy credit to SHGs in the state.
With over 600 batches of 30 women trained so far, the impact of this initiative extends far beyond its initial investment, underscoring its pivotal role in reshaping Karnataka’s socio-economic landscape. Every rupee invested in this transformative endeavour has yielded dividends, paving the way for a brighter and more sustainable future.
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