Patiala
29 November 2021
DIVYA AZAD
A NGO RoundGlass Foundation commemorated the successful installation of 100 waste management projects at an event held in Hardaspur village, Patiala recently. The objective of the event was to bring together and felicitate sarpanches, waste collectors, and members of village youth clubs who have been working with the Foundation to set up and run these waste management facilities in 100 villages.
At the event, Sandeep Hans (IAS), Deputy Commissioner, Patiala felicitated the sarpanches. Three sarpanches were selected to share their experience of working with the Foundation on this project.
Venkatesh ‘Venky’ Raghavendra, Strategic Advisor to the Foundation, said, “We aim to reach all the villages in Punjab and engage with the community on the importance of waste management and proper waste disposal. Our efforts have resulted in employment generation, reduced stress on village landfills and helped clean up local water bodies. Our pledge to create a cleaner, healthier Punjab and enable a life of holistic wellbeing for its people in line with our mission has only strengthened with the setting up of our 100th Waste Management facility.”
Speaking on the occasion, Sandeep Hans, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, said: “This is indeed a milestone in our journey of creating a cleaner, sustainable Punjab through sustainable, efficient waste management systems. The best thing about the RoundGlass Foundation’s Waste Management program is the community involvement. The team mobilizes and educates the local community to adopt and maintain solid waste management systems, thereby ensuring their participation in the cleaning up of their villages.”
It’s noteworthy that the RoundGlass Foundation is transforming the villages of Punjab and helping people live better lives. The Foundation partners with the Government of Punjab to implement a decentralized model of segregation for composting and recycling for efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable waste management. The state and local governments provide 70-75% of the project cost in subsidies and the Foundation covers 20-25% of the cost.
Over the last three years, the Foundation has set up waste management projects in 100 villages, creating as many jobs and impacting 15,000 households. The projects cover 14 districts including Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali, Mansa, Rupnagar, Bathinda, Moga, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, and Nawanshahr.
Apart from setting up a waste management facility in each village, the program appoints door-to-door waste collectors who are trained to collect trash daily from households. The team also holds workshops to spread awareness about the importance of waste segregation and management among locals. Besides, it helps clean up villages and rejuvenate local water bodies with a view to safeguard the environment. Since the program’s implementation, villages have converted waste into more than 100 tons of compost that is available to farmers.
The event also showcased a film entitled ‘Women Building a Cleaner Punjab’ on the Waste Management program directed by internationally acclaimed film director Gurvinder Singh who is known for his national award-winning projects Anhe Ghore Da Daan, Chauthi Koot, and Khanaur, among others.
