How a grassroots movement transformed the lives of waste pickers, integrating them into Bengaluru’s waste management system.
Published Mar 24, 2025 | 4:07 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 24, 2025 | 4:07 PM
Hasiru Dala empowers waste pickers through advocacy and livelihoods. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Hasiru Dala, a pioneering model of inclusive, decentralised waste management, has worked to organise and legitimise the vital role of informal waste pickers in Bengaluru, providing them with official identity cards, access to social services, and opportunities to manage city-backed Dry Waste Collection Centres.
In 2010, Bengaluru grappled with an escalating waste crisis. It’s landfills were overflowing, and mounting rubbish piles became a serious public health hazard.
With no structured waste management system in place, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) struggled to cope.
Amid this chaos, unorganised waste pickers – long overlooked by both the government and the public – played a vital role in mitigating the crisis by diverting waste from landfills and enabling grassroots recycling efforts.
Hasiru Dala proves waste management is also about human rights. (Supplied)
Recognising their invaluable contribution, Nalini Shekar, a long-time social activist, and Anslem Rosario, a veteran in sustainable waste management, came together to launch Hasiru Dala (Green Force) – an initiative aimed at organising and legitimising the work of these informal recyclers.
“Waste pickers really do a lot of work when local government services have gaps. They have created a job for themselves, yet they were completely unrecognised,” says Shekar, recalling the early days of the movement.
What started as a small, informal effort soon led to a landmark moment – waste pickers receiving official identity cards from the city, a first-of-its-kind recognition in India.
Hasiru Dala’s journey from grassroots mobilisation to influencing municipal policy has been marked by significant milestones.
Shekar brought decades of experience in community organisation to the table. Before moving to Bengaluru, she co-founded the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) in Pune – a pioneering trade union for waste pickers.
Her advocacy for waste workers’ rights, both at the grassroots and policy levels, laid the foundation for what would become Hasiru Dala.
With a deep understanding of informal waste economies, she saw the urgent need for formal recognition and integration of these workers into the city’s waste management system.
Rosario, on the other hand, had long been championing decentralised waste collection and segregation at source. As one of the early voices in Bengaluru’s sustainability efforts, he inspired several grassroots initiatives.
Hasiru Dala’s initiatives bridge waste management and social justice. (Supplied)
His collaboration with Shekar brought technical insight and strategic direction to Hasiru Dala, helping shape a model that was both socially inclusive and environmentally sound.
In 2011, through their persistent advocacy, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) issued identity cards bearing the city’s logo and the commissioner’s signature to waste pickers, formally acknowledging their work.
By 2016, this practice was codified into law – securing not just dignity, but access to social services and protections.
“Our main concern was safety and recognition,” explains Shekar in an interview with South First.
“Waste is still not recognised as an industry, but it is a crucial sector. The government realised this when we showed them data – 800 tonnes of recyclable material were being processed by waste pickers every day.”
Hasiru Dala also pioneered the introduction of Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs), operated and managed by trained waste pickers. This innovative step revolutionised how Bengaluru manages its recyclables.
“The idea came from solid waste management experts, but the question was – who will run these centres? We stepped in, trained waste pickers, and proved that they could efficiently manage these facilities.”
By 2018, the Karnataka government formally supported this decentralised model, allocating funds and infrastructure for Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) across the city.
Despite these victories, the road was far from smooth. One of the biggest hurdles was earning the trust of the waste pickers themselves.
“In the beginning, they did not even want to talk to us. I do not look like them, speak like them, or share their background,” Shekar recalls. “They had been cheated so many times that when they saw us coming, some even hid in rainwater drains.”
Bengaluru’s waste pickers find dignity and recognition with Hasiru Dala. (Supplied)
Winning their confidence required patience, persistence, and tangible change.
Hasiru Dala offered more than just advocacy – it brought real, immediate benefits: legal identity, safer working conditions, healthcare access, financial inclusion, and training in sustainable waste handling.
Today, thousands of waste pickers are part of a resilient, organised network that not only secures their livelihoods but also contributes meaningfully to Bengaluru’s circular economy.
Over a decade since its inception, Hasiru Dala remains at the forefront of sustainable urban waste management. Its impact reaches beyond Bengaluru, inspiring similar initiatives across India.
Yet, challenges persist – especially with frequent changes in political leadership.
“Every time a new commissioner or mayor takes charge, we have to start all over again, making them understand why this model works,” Shekar notes.
Still, she remains optimistic. “The fact that the government has institutionalised many of our ideas means we have made a lasting impact.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
