Articles by Laxmi Vadapalli

Dr Laxmi Vadapalli is a trained sociologist with a PhD from the University of Hyderabad. She has professional experience of over 17 years in the development sector, and has had a 2.5 year stint with TISS, Mumbai. She has vast experience in issues pertaining to Resettlement and Rehabilitation in mining and irrigation sectors in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Making waste pickers’ lives better: An experience from Hyderabad

by September 14, 2020

Nagamma and Tirupataiah, a couple hailing from Kurnool district are waste pickers at the Kattedan Industrial Estate (KIE), near Rajendranagar in Hyderabad. Another waste picker, Shantamma took up this activity when she shifted to the area after her marriage.  Spread across 110 hectares, the KIE houses 450 units belonging to manufacturing, oil refining, rewinding machines, food processing industries. The industries provide employment to 10,000 laborers, and the total population of the area is roughly 26000, most of them living in the neighbouring villages. Industrial pollution -- primarily high concentration of mineral oil and metals in the soil, dust, odour and…

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