How Mindtree's Veena Rajappa's initiative cleaned her neighbourhood

By Divya Shekhar
Having stayed in Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) off Mysuru Road for over 20 years, the 42-year-old Veena Rajappa has realised that the only way to achieving sustainability in a neighbourhood burdened by rampant consumerism is to take on the challenge head on. Her individual efforts gradually slowly drew the attention of others and soon she became the focal point of the neighbourhood waste segregation and composting initiative.

“I am not the person who would pick up the broom only for a day and then never look back at it. Instead, I try and understand why the streets are perpetually dirty ,“ Rajappa told ET, adding that the every kind of waste has a destination and a purpose if only the ecosystem is put in place.

So, in 2012, she started going door-to-door in her ward to spread awareness about waste segregation. Since her job as general manager, Mindtree, did not leave her with much time on weekdays, she distributed video CDs of the segregation process in the neighbourhood.“The idea is encourage the community to follow the Karnataka High Court's 2012 judgment (revised in 2014) about segregating waste at source and decentralising the process,“ she said.

With help from the BBMP , she set up the first dry waste collection centre in the area in May 2012 and the second in January this year. In order to ensure that the process remains unbroken, right from segregation in households and waste collection to composting and recycling, Rajappa, along with friends and volunteers, moni tored the process closely .

“We work with nonprofits like Hasiru Dala, Sudh-Labh and Daily Dump, whose trained workers collect segregated waste and help us with composting in a dozen apartment complexes,“ she said, adding that she, along with a group of volunteers, continues creating more awareness among homes and residential associations. “I spread the word through local newsletters and social media.Our Facebook page has over 5,000 participants.“

Rajappa's efforts have now led to over 6,000 residents, 40% of the RR Nagar ward, recycling about 20 tonnes of dry waste a month, and generate 500 kg of compost every day . As a result, the daily waste burden in the nearby dumpyard is reduced by 35 tonnes per month.

Nalini Shekhar, co-founder of Hasiru Dala, who works with Rajappa, said, “Veena singlehandedly started waste segregation in her area. Even today , she remains committed to the cause despite a demanding job and family responsibilities, and has a strategic approach towards dealing with contractors, elected representatives, people and the waste pickers..