Page 63 - CIJ Aug 2024 - Digital Edition

MAKING A POINT

The Plastic Recyclothon, largest public-private-people-led
including e-waste, sees lakhs initiatives across India.
of citizens donate their plastic Other sustainability
waste with the larger purpose initiatives include launching
being behavioural change and zero waste (no plastic,
no plastic to the landfill. It is e-waste, dry and wet
dedicated to tackling waste in the waste) in 10 selected
Mumbai Metropolitan Region. schools across Mumbai
It is a community-driven, and in film studios and
fortnightly event to segregate every ward in the city
and recycle waste. “Through a in partnership with the
series of awareness sessions, municipal corporation for
coordinated collection drives, plastic and e-waste.
and innovative recycling In the last five years, Project
techniques, we collect between Mumbai has been recognised
2-2.5 tonnes of plastic each with multiple awards, including
month. We have conducted the United Nations SDG award
over 100 collection drives and 2020, the Green NGO of the
engaged more than 400,000 year award by the International AS A MODEL
volunteers. Together, we have Advertising Association, the
diverted 110 tonnes of plastic iVolunteer Hero of the year OF PUBLIC-
from landfills.” award, and the Best Start-up PRIVATE-PEOPLE
The waste is recycled into NGO of the Year award from PARTNERSHIP, WE
amenities like benches, pencil Ketto, to name a few. Project HAVE A MISSION
boxes, pots, walking tracks, Mumbai’s sustainability OF MAKING
garbage bins and tee shirts, to initiatives have also won MUMBAI AND THE
name a few, through a CSR- multiple international awards. EXTENDED MMR
led transparent system. Many Initiatives in the offing include
gardens and housing societies being the knowledge partner A BETTER PLACE
have seating made from plastic to the municipal corporation to TO LIVE, WORK
generated by citizens and make Mumbai AND PLAY WITH
benches for municipal schools EVERY CITIZEN
too are made through the same • An inclusive and accessible VOLUNTEERING
process. city for the differently abled TO DO HIS OR
and elderly,
The Jallosh initiative of HER BIT FOR THE
protecting Mumbai’s water • Rediscovering the city and
bodies sees thousands every mapping the cultural history COMMUNITY AND
month step out and clean of its roads, PROJECT MUMBAI
beaches, mangroves, rivers • Mobilizing citizens to PLAYING THE ROLE
and lakes. Volunteers have to beautify 30 of the city’s OF A CATALYST
choose a location and spend railway stations, ENSURING SOCIAL
two hours at the designated • Creating zero waste garden TRANSFORMATION
waterbody for clean-up after from recycled plastic and
being provided with gloves and • Gender-safety audit of THROUGH
instructions on how to segregate Mumbai’s roads INITIATIVES OF
the waste. There is no age bar SCALE.”
or educational qualification or But the most important
time restriction for volunteering focus remains on building Shishir Joshi
and we have senior citizens, India’s largest ecosystem of
housewives, teenagers and volunteering.
working professionals all But the most important
contributing with their efforts. focus remains on building
Both these initiatives are in the India’s largest ecosystem of
Limca Book of Records as the volunteering. CIJ

Clean India Journal•AUGUST 2024 63
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