Felicitation of garbage collectors by Whitefield Rising

by October 28, 2013 Civic

People from very different walks of life gathered on a sidewalk today. The common thread linking them all was “dignity” and an inexplicable oneness. A cleaner street and gifts for people were mere by products. Over a month, led by Anjali Saini and her team, well heeled residents of communities worked side by side with BBMP garbage collectors, children, housewives, small shopkeepers and villagers. They took former black spots aka garbage heaps and open sewers and transformed them. Then they took pride in it and kept it that way.

Today they came together to honour those that either made it happen or whose contribution will keep it that way. Of special focus were those considered the lowest on the socio economic rung. The Garbage Collectors and Pourakarmikas. Residents quietly ran a drive to collect gifts for them. Having worked with them over many days, they had started to have anidentify and their plight was apparent. Sarees, shirts and even a specially prepared gift hamper came pouring in. These were handed over to the shy and surprised workers who were made to take a break from being knee deep in garbage. 

Next up were shops. 10 of the 55 in the area got recognition and a formal rating across 7 categories. A full seven star would imply not just a clean shop but one that is socially responsible which would mean keeping a clean pavement, no parking in front of their shop keeping it pedestrian friendly and avoiding the use of plastic bags. So far the best on the list was the Paani Poori wallah!

An important focus in the recognition was given to the key people from BBMP and BESCOM, partnership with whom led to this.

Pride was felt by those that worked to make it that way. And taking pride was asked of those whose help was needed to keep it that way. Each person is an individual and has a job to do that they mustdo and that is important no matter how small or big.

So is this a one time wonder or is this hear to stay ? The folks In Whitefield will decide. For now they are indeed rising.

Related Articles

Whitefield rising and shining with citizen-led initiatives
Whitefield residents set goals on waste management front
Soon, fresh veggies from the streets of Whitefield

Sections:

About Ritu George

Read more by Ritu George

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Absent and unusable pavements: Mumbai breaches its own Footpath Policy

by October 30, 2026 Civic
The city's unsafe footpaths put pedestrian's lives at risk. The suburbs, where the majority of Mumbaikars live, are worst affected.

“Who walks on footpaths anymore?” asks Abhay Shanbagh, a Vile Parle resident in his sixties. He says the footpath in front of his house is not even fully visible because of the cars parked along it and sometimes on it. Neha Dholam, a domestic worker who walks about two hours daily in Ghatkopar and Vile Parle, has a similar response. She wonders which footpaths I am talking about since they are barely visible behind parked vehicles en route to her workplace. This is the lived reality of so many Mumbaikars even though over half of all trips in Mumbai are…

Continue reading

Similar Story

Bengaluru’s open drains: Civic negligence creates a daily hazard for residents 

by October 22, 2026 Civic
From bad design to vigilance gaps and inadequate funding, Bengaluru’s stormwater drains severely compromise pedestrian safety.

Walk down almost any street in Bengaluru, and you will spot them: missing slabs, wide gaps, and wooden planks covering openings. Uncovered stormwater drains have become a safety hazard across the city, creating serious obstacles and putting residents at risk of injury or death. Experts flag bad engineering design, poor monitoring, inadequate funding, and lax enforcement of liability rules as the major reasons for this public safety crisis. In Sanchar Nagar, Thanisandra, contractors dug up a stretch of at least 150 metres for stormwater drain works. A few weeks ago, a resident slipped and fell into the trench, getting badly…

Continue reading