The invisible labour behind Bengaluru’s one-of-a-kind waste collection system

Deeksha Devadiga Mar 24, 2025 Community & Culture

[{"selector":"#anim-e84a22db-6394-4324-bdcc-585e300b596a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.499999772451451%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Community & Culture In 2010, Bengaluru grappled with an escalating waste crisis. It’s landfills were overflowing, and mounting rubbish piles became a serious public health hazard. Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-a71eef70-fb01-4461-ba25-bde780f18418 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(16.12771718576865%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Community & Culture With no structured waste management system in place, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) struggled to cope. Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-4a6d59fb-7823-4c92-aee7-4a8574f469b8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Community & Culture Amid this chaos, unorganised waste pickers – long overlooked by both the government and the public – played a vital role in mitigating the crisis. Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-efb3107f-d58e-441e-a20f-985ad5e3c820 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(25.446874848846907%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Community & Culture Recognising their invaluable contribution, Nalini Shekar and Anslem Rosario came together to launch Hasiru Dala (Green Force) – to organise and legitimise the work of these informal recyclers. Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-7dd48424-fc42-4d2d-97c9-db7a93aea094 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.4657142989916032%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Community & Culture 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. Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-4f2e56d3-635b-464b-91c5-9f750a43b4c5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(28.90624987200394%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Community & Culture 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. Read the article