Societies Can Go Zero Garbage

South Delhi’s Navjivan Vihar, home to 380 families, once faced the common urban problem of waste piling up, destined for landfills and impacting local hygiene.

The transformation began with Dr Ruby Makhija, a resident doctor and passionate environmentalist, who took on the role of Resident Welfare Association secretary with a clear mission: no garbage bag to the landfill.

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The solution involved a meticulous, door-to-door campaign to convince residents to segregate waste into wet, dry and hazardous categories. Through consistent follow-ups, daily texts and videos, she cleared doubts and emphasized proper waste management.

The results are remarkable: 125kg of daily kitchen waste now becomes compost for gardens, dry waste goes to recyclers and usable items are donated to NGOs. This initiative has made Navjivan Vihar a zero-garbage colony year after year, moving towards a cleaner and healthier environment.