Dapodi women set new standard for sustainable waste management

The day-to-day operations are fully handled by an eight-strong women’s self-help group from Dapodi, which was a leprosy-affected shantytown

The ‘Dapodi Zero-Waste Project’ – managed by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC’s) health department, with day-to-day operations fully handled by a local women’s self-help group – is going above and beyond its remit of cleanliness to empower women, create jobs, and set an example of how cities should adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle, officials said.

Under this initiative, household waste is collected daily from 428 households in Dapodi; carefully segregated into wet and dry waste; and processed using advanced equipment such as dust separators, agglomerators, hydraulic presses, and semi-automatic composting machines into nutrient-rich compost for the benefit of farmers. (HT PHOTO)

The project, which completed one year this month, has been started under the PCMC’s ‘New Disha’ programme which aims to empower women. The day-to-day operations are fully handled by an eight-strong women’s self-help group from Dapodi, which was a leprosy-affected shantytown decades ago. The project has received funding from a private firm under corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Under this initiative, household waste is collected daily from 428 households in Dapodi; carefully segregated into wet and dry waste; and processed using advanced equipment such as dust separators, agglomerators, hydraulic presses, and semi-automatic composting machines into nutrient-rich compost for the benefit of farmers. This helps reduce the twin city’s landfill burden while promoting circular economy practices, officials said. Implemented under the guidance of Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal commissioner and administrator Shekhar Singh and additional commissioner Vijaykumar Khorate; the project is led by deputy commissioner Sachin Pawar.

Khorate said, “The ‘Dapodi Zero-Waste Project’ is not just about waste management; it is a remarkable example of women’s empowerment and sustainable living. This initiative is creating employment opportunities for women while setting a new direction for waste management in the city.”

Pawar said, “Our focus has been to go beyond waste collection and implement a scientifically sound, technology-driven process for compost production. By involving women’s self-help groups, we have turned this initiative into a model for future sustainable waste management.”