<div align="justify">Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders and his team visited a dry waste collection centre at Marappanapalya in the city on Monday and interacted with waste pickers on how they sort the garbage. <br /><br />The minister was impressed with the waste management system and said the visit to the centre was the highlight of his trip to India. <br /><br />Named Kartavya Pragati, the waste collection centre was recently upgraded with the joint efforts of SweepSmart, a waste management social enterprise from the Netherlands, Hasiru Dala, a membership-based organisation of waste pickers and informal waste workers, Eco Echo and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP). <br /><br />Nalini Shekar, the co-founder of Hasiru Dala, said the centre had been upgraded with a conveyor belt, a bailing machine and other equipment at a cost of Rs 15 lakh. <br /><br />Sathish S, a waste picker at the facility, explained to Koenders how technology had made it easier to manage dry waste which was done manually earlier. <br /></div>
<div align="justify">Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders and his team visited a dry waste collection centre at Marappanapalya in the city on Monday and interacted with waste pickers on how they sort the garbage. <br /><br />The minister was impressed with the waste management system and said the visit to the centre was the highlight of his trip to India. <br /><br />Named Kartavya Pragati, the waste collection centre was recently upgraded with the joint efforts of SweepSmart, a waste management social enterprise from the Netherlands, Hasiru Dala, a membership-based organisation of waste pickers and informal waste workers, Eco Echo and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP). <br /><br />Nalini Shekar, the co-founder of Hasiru Dala, said the centre had been upgraded with a conveyor belt, a bailing machine and other equipment at a cost of Rs 15 lakh. <br /><br />Sathish S, a waste picker at the facility, explained to Koenders how technology had made it easier to manage dry waste which was done manually earlier. <br /></div>