Pune women transform Bhosari slum into zero-waste community after Moshi tragedy

Women of the Shri Krishna Mahila Bachat Gat segregate waste every morning, earning around Rs 10,000 a month. Pics/By Special Arrangement

As the Moshi garbage depot tragedy claimed nine lives and reignited debate over waste management, a quiet revolution a few kilometres away has shown that garbage need not end up in towering landfill mounds. For the past three years, nearly 70 women of the Shri Krishna Mahila Bachat Gat transformed Gavali Matha Vasti in Bhosari MIDC into a zero-waste slum.

Around 600 households now segregate waste, ensuring mixed garbage no longer reaches Moshi dumping ground. Their efforts recently earned them the prestigious National Pride of India Award, recognising their contribution to cleanliness, environmental conservation and sustainable waste management.

Pilot project

In August 2022, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) launched India's first Zero Waste Slum Project under its Navi Disha Navi Aasha initiative, choosing local women instead of contractors to lead the pilot. The decision initially faced resistance. According to Anna Bodade, Deputy Commissioner of PCMC's Slum Rehabilitation Department, the project was introduced following persistent complaints about roadside dumping during his tenure as a ward officer.

Model expands

The success of Gavali Matha prompted PCMC to expand the Zero Waste Slum model to other informal settlements across the city. The women were recently honoured with the National Pride of India Award by Asara Social Foundation and Om Publication Maharashtra at Pune's Patrakar Bhavan. Residents who once questioned the initiative now proudly say their waste no longer adds to dangerous landfill heaps.

Compost produced

The project processes 600-700 kg of waste per day, totalling 18-20 tonnes per month. Wet waste is composted at Gulab Pushpa Udyan, while dry waste is sent for recycling, ensuring mixed garbage from the settlement no longer reaches the Moshi dumping ground. Around 50 kg of compost is produced regularly and used in PCMC gardens, reducing the burden on the Moshi garbage depot while cutting transportation, processing and dumping costs.

The initiative has also created jobs for nearly 70 women, with each earning around R10,000 a month. The women work every morning from 9.30 am to around 2 pm with gloves, masks and other protective gear, and no health issues have been reported over the past three years.

Official Speak

Anna Bodade, deputy commissioner, PCMC's Slum Rehabilitation Department
‘We conducted a detailed survey and found that residents themselves were dumping garbage on roads. So we decided to implement the Zero Waste Slum Project, involved local women's self-help groups, provided financial assistance and launched awareness campaigns on waste segregation.'

Initial resistance

Mangla Wadkar, president of the self-help group
‘When PCMC officials first approached us, nobody was willing. When we informed our families, many asked, ‘Who works in garbage? Have you gone mad?' But we persisted, going door-to-door every day to explain the importance of waste segregation and its impact on public health.'

Commissioner Says

Dr Vijay Suryawanshi, municipal commissioner, PCMC
‘What began as an experiment in one slum has become a model of cleanliness, environmental sustainability and women's empowerment. The Shri Krishna Mahila Bachat Gat has demonstrated that community participation, particularly by women, can transform urban waste management. This national recognition is well deserved and will inspire similar initiatives across Pimpri Chinchwad.'

Aug 2022
When PCMC launched India's first Zero Waste Slum Project