Plastic waste is way to prosperity for these women in MP
A group of women in Harda district in MP have begun to use plastic waste to make toys and sell them at handsome prices under a panchayat launched ‘raddi se samriddhi’ (prosperity from waste) scheme.
A group of women in Harda district in MP have begun to use plastic waste to make toys and sell them at handsome prices under a panchayat launched ‘raddi se samriddhi’ (prosperity from waste) scheme.
The first sale of the toys made with non-biodegradable waste materials will be held on October 2. (HT photo)
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The scheme was formally launched on September 25. The first sale of their waste stuffed toys will be held on October 2, Harda district panchayat chief executive officer (CEO) Shanmukhapriya Mishra said.
About a dozen women are collecting plastic waste and papers from the roadside, cutting them into small pieces and using them to stuff soft toys. Later, the toys will be sold with the help of the panchayat and the proceed distributed among the women.
Mishra said, “We have a dual motive behind this campaign. First is to reduce pollution and second is to provide a source of income to rural women. The toys stuffed with polythene and papers will also be cost efficient.”
All these women have been given training by their mentors Kusum Kesavre and Shikha Kesavre.
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On a trial basis, a drive was conducted on September 25 wherein the women and school students jointly collected plastic waste and papers from various parts of the district, cleaned them up and then used them as toy stuff. The drive was very successful, the Kesavres said.
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On a trial basis, a drive was conducted on September 25 wherein the women and school students jointly collected plastic waste and papers from various parts of the district, cleaned them up and then used them as toy stuff. The drive was very successful, the Kesavres said.
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Mishra said, “On October 2, we will market these products during a programme in Harda district by putting up special stalls. We have also allotted a hall to these women so that they can collect trash and converted it into stuff.”
Swacch Bharat Mission in-charge Hymavathi Varman said, “This is a very good initiative by Harda district panchayat. The campaign will be extended to other districts too.”
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.
