<p>An ongoing initiative aims to rid the city and its citizens of bulky waste, which is hard to dispose of. Repair workshops are also held across neighbourhoods as part of the drive.</p>.<p>Though the collection service is free of cost, repairs on clothes, bicycles and footwear are to be paid for.</p>.<p>Change Matters is an initiative by city-based waste management NGO Saahas. While it was launched last year, it was discontinued for a few months because of lack of funding. It resumed in July and will go on until March.</p>.<p><strong>‘Bulky waste goes neglected’</strong></p>.<p>According to BBMP bylaws, the civic body is responsible for collecting and disposing bulky waste but they have not been doing so, says Rakhi Anil, programme manager, Saahas. It’s the informal waste collectors like kabbadiwalas and gujari shops who somewhat fill the gap. In the absence of a formal system, citizens have been forced to use public spaces for disposal of waste.</p>.<p>Rakhi illustrates, “You spot sofas dumped on footpaths or under flyovers. Or, a bundle of clothes, books, cheap footwear and TV sets strewn around in the open. Children’s bicycles or scooters are discarded on the road. With increasing consumerism, the use-and-throw culture has also increased.”</p>.<p>Her team organises collection drives at apartments on the request of <br>Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) or they visit open layouts if they get <br>a call.</p>.<p>The junk is then segregated in their waste management unit at Koramangala. “We send e-waste items to recycling partners. We donate household items to NGOs. We give away books to libraries. We invite cobblers, furniture traders and vendors dealing in second-hand goods to take what they like. Items that are not reusable or recyclable are sent to material recovery facilities,” she explains.</p>.<p>Last year, they collected 38,000 kg of waste between 72 drives in apartments and 308 on-call services at individual homes. This season, they have collected 7,000 kg of waste.</p>.<p><strong>‘Good demand for repairs’</strong></p>.<p>Her team has organised “11 days of repairs” in two high-income <br>neighbourhoods and nine low-income communities this season.</p>.<p>“Large apartment complexes have all the fancy amenities inside but outside, you can’t spot a cobbler for kilometres. We see high demand for <br>repairing footwear in these workshops,” she says.</p>.<p>Her team brings tailors, cobblers and bicycle mechanics to the location. Suitcase repair and knife sharpening are some of the other services that are taken care of. The rate card is fixed between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500 to match the daily wage of the respective vendors.</p>.<p>In low-income communities, they offer free repairs, usually under a tent. “Our workshops here feel like a celebration. School children go around calling people to come for repairs and they get their bags, slippers and bicycles fixed.”</p>.<p>Depending on the funds, the plan is to organise 30-35 days of repairs this time, says Rakhi.</p>.<p>Contact 85100 91213 or look up changematters_saahas or saahas.org</p>
<p>An ongoing initiative aims to rid the city and its citizens of bulky waste, which is hard to dispose of. Repair workshops are also held across neighbourhoods as part of the drive.</p>.<p>Though the collection service is free of cost, repairs on clothes, bicycles and footwear are to be paid for.</p>.<p>Change Matters is an initiative by city-based waste management NGO Saahas. While it was launched last year, it was discontinued for a few months because of lack of funding. It resumed in July and will go on until March.</p>.<p><strong>‘Bulky waste goes neglected’</strong></p>.<p>According to BBMP bylaws, the civic body is responsible for collecting and disposing bulky waste but they have not been doing so, says Rakhi Anil, programme manager, Saahas. It’s the informal waste collectors like kabbadiwalas and gujari shops who somewhat fill the gap. In the absence of a formal system, citizens have been forced to use public spaces for disposal of waste.</p>.<p>Rakhi illustrates, “You spot sofas dumped on footpaths or under flyovers. Or, a bundle of clothes, books, cheap footwear and TV sets strewn around in the open. Children’s bicycles or scooters are discarded on the road. With increasing consumerism, the use-and-throw culture has also increased.”</p>.<p>Her team organises collection drives at apartments on the request of <br>Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) or they visit open layouts if they get <br>a call.</p>.<p>The junk is then segregated in their waste management unit at Koramangala. “We send e-waste items to recycling partners. We donate household items to NGOs. We give away books to libraries. We invite cobblers, furniture traders and vendors dealing in second-hand goods to take what they like. Items that are not reusable or recyclable are sent to material recovery facilities,” she explains.</p>.<p>Last year, they collected 38,000 kg of waste between 72 drives in apartments and 308 on-call services at individual homes. This season, they have collected 7,000 kg of waste.</p>.<p><strong>‘Good demand for repairs’</strong></p>.<p>Her team has organised “11 days of repairs” in two high-income <br>neighbourhoods and nine low-income communities this season.</p>.<p>“Large apartment complexes have all the fancy amenities inside but outside, you can’t spot a cobbler for kilometres. We see high demand for <br>repairing footwear in these workshops,” she says.</p>.<p>Her team brings tailors, cobblers and bicycle mechanics to the location. Suitcase repair and knife sharpening are some of the other services that are taken care of. The rate card is fixed between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500 to match the daily wage of the respective vendors.</p>.<p>In low-income communities, they offer free repairs, usually under a tent. “Our workshops here feel like a celebration. School children go around calling people to come for repairs and they get their bags, slippers and bicycles fixed.”</p>.<p>Depending on the funds, the plan is to organise 30-35 days of repairs this time, says Rakhi.</p>.<p>Contact 85100 91213 or look up changematters_saahas or saahas.org</p>