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 What is ‘SWaCH’ |
SWaCH (Solid Waste Collection and Handling or, officially, the SWaCH Seva Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit, Pune) is India’s first wholly-owned cooperative of self-employed waste pickers /waste collectors and other urban poor. It is an autonomous enterprise that provides front-end waste management services to the citizens of Pune.
SWaCH is authorised by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to provide door to door waste collection (DTDC) and other allied waste management services. The scope of SWaCH includes collection, resource recovery, trade and waste processing. SWaCH seeks to provide decent livelihoods in the recycling industry. Through its 2150 members, SWaCH services over 390,000 households across 76 prabhaags in 15 municipal administrative wards of the PMC and the number is growing.
SWaCH is promoted by the waste pickers’ union Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) that organised 9000+ rag pickers /waste collectors to work with dignity and created a sustainable decentralised, waste management model in the country.
SWaCH members collect segregated dry and wet garbage right from citizens’ doorsteps and deposit it at the designated PMC collection points. SWaCH enables the rag pickers /waste collectors to upgrade their livelihoods, and trains them to carry out their work professionally.
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| History of SWaCH |
Formation of KKPKP : In 1993, waste pickers and itinerant waste buyers in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad came together to form Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), a membership-based trade union. The union
aimed to establish and assert waste pickers’ contribution to the environment, their status as workers and their crucial role in the Solid Waste Management (SWM) of the city.
Today, KKPKP has 9000 plus members, 80 per cent of whom are women from socially backward and marginalised castes. Each member pays an annual fee to the organization and an equal amount towards their life insurance cover. Members are given I-cards that are endorsed by the PMC, and can avail of other benefits like interest-free loans and educational support for their children.
( http://www.wastepickerscollective.org/).
One of the most important contributions made by KKPKP, which helped make the case for granting waste pickers their rights and dues, was the quantification of waste pickers’ contribution to SWM. (KKPKP Case Study). This study clearly established that the recovery operations carried out by waste pickers actually saved the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations several crores of rupees in waste handling costs.
KKPKP further pushed for better working conditions for the waste pickers and for the protection of rights of waste pickers through representations to the government. Most importantly, KKPKP called for the integration of waste pickers in the waste collection/disposal system, at the point of waste generation itself – that is, giving them access to waste where it is generated, whether in homes, offices or businesses. All these demands are part of various government reports and documentation.
Formation of SWaCH : In 2000, the new MSW laws and rules were passed (MSW rules), which required segregation of waste, door to door waste collection, and waste processing instead of dumping. There was also a push towards reducing containers on the street and making the city ‘container-free’, ostensibly in the name of more sanitary conditions and cleanliness.
KKPKP seized this opportunity to improve the working conditions of waste pickers. In 2005, KKPKP launched a pilot programme in collaboration with the PMC, where waste pickers were integrated in door to door waste collection (DTDC) work. This paved the way for the formal institution, SWaCH, a wholly-owned workers’ cooperative as a Pro-poor Public Private Partnership to undertake such work. The SWaCH DTDC model was based on recovery of user fee from service users and provision of infrastructure and management support from the municipality which was also to play an enabling role.
SWaCH Pilot Scheme : The pilot scheme implemented in collaboration with the Department of Adult Education, SNDT Women’s University, was operational in 2006/2008 and enabled 1500 waste pickers to become service providers for the door to door collection of waste from 1,25,000 households in Pune city. This considerably improved their conditions of work and upgraded their livelihoods, effectively bridging the gap between households and the municipal waste collection service. The initiative brought together two interests – the waste pickers’ interest in upgrading their livelihood and the municipality’s interest in sustainable SWM.
SWaCH becomes operational : In 2008, the doorstep collection work got institutionalised under the aegis of SWaCH which was specifically registered for this purpose. With time, SWaCH diversified into verticals as well as extended its service delivery to another city (see below: SWaCH and PCMC).
Today, apart from SWaCH PMC, there is also SWaCH Plus. SWaCH Plus includes all the livelihood upgradation and income enhancement activities with respect to waste management, that go beyond door to door collection, such as V-Collect events where citizens can dispose of their unused household items/clothes; composting; e-waste collecting and disposing through the correct channels; making and selling ST Dispo bags; awareness raising events, etc. |
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| SWaCH and PCMC |
In 2009-2010 the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) approached KKPKP and asked SWaCH to carry out door to door collection (DTDC) of waste in its limits. The PCMC agreed to provide annually-reducing viability gap funding, calculated on the basis of households covered for wards A and D, until the user fee payment was accepted by residents of the city. After this, the service would be extended to the rest of Pimpri Chinchwad. According to the agreement ( SWaCH PCMC MOU ), SWaCH was to undertake primary collection (door to door) and transfer the waste to the secondary collection system. Waste pickers would retain the right to the income earned from the recovery and sale of recyclables. This scheme was launched and was functioning to the satisfaction of citizens, waste pickers and PCMC.
PCMC invites tenders : Yet, in 2011, PCMC invited tenders for wards B and C, and awarded an integrated contract for door to door collection and transport to the landfill, on the basis of weight of waste collected and transported. In this model, service users were not required to pay any user fees to the service provider.
This led to a situation where residents of PCMC were subject to unfair terms for waste collection, depending upon where they lived. Those in wards B and C got a free service and those in wards A and D were required to pay. Justifiably, residents refused to pay for a service that others were getting free.
SWaCH terminates MoU : Recognising that in the long run the organisation would now be placed in an impossible situation with regard to user fee recovery, and the unfairness of the situation to citizens, SWaCH decided to terminate the arrangement with the PCMC from October 2012. ( SWaCH Termination Letter)
Despite pulling out of its arrangement with PCMC, the purposes and the premises on which integration of waste pickers was pushed by KKPKP, still remain valid today – if not even more so, given the higher costs of privatisation of services and escalating costs to the municipality and citizens as tax payers.
The PCMC has now invited tenders from labour contractors for door to door collection for six months and thereafter, for integrated waste collection from door to landfill, for a period of five years.
The waste pickers who were involved in door to door collection could run the risk of being unemployed in the future, unless they are employed by the subsequent contracted parties. Since waste will come from the generator into the trucks, containers have been reduced and the Moshi landfill has been privatised, these displaced workers will not be able to go back to waste picking.
KKPKP and SWaCH have repeatedly made the point that since PCMC is as much responsible for poverty alleviation as it is responsible for solid waste management, it is incumbent upon the PCMC to secure the interests of waste pickers who will become unemployed.
Responsibility of PCMC towards waste pickers : The waste picker members of KKPKP have provided good services while they were part of SWaCH and citizens have appreciated their sincerity and dedication. These workers cannot be penalised with unemployment because SWaCH was forced to terminate the MOU with PCMC -- the PCMC has to ensure that the waste pickers who will become unemployed as a consequence of the contracting out of door to door waste collection, are now hired by the contracted parties and paid the applicable minimum wage and statutory benefits. Regardless of their stand on SWaCH and its termination of the MoU, PCMC administration has an obligation to ensure that the workers are not pushed to destitution and penury.
The law states that all recyclables shall be recovered and shall follow the route of recycling. Since waste picker members have unique expertise in waste segregation and recovery and management of recyclables, this skill must be valued and utilised for the best interests of the community. Waste pickers are better placed than other urban poor to undertake the work of DTDC waste collection in compliance with MSW Rules 2000. Further, the waste pickers are residents of PCMC and have long-term interests in the future of PCMC.
SWaCH has suggested that in order to facilitate this process of hiring by the contracted party, the PCMC should rely upon the list of waste pickers submitted by KKPKP from time to time, and include the names in the list in the Register of Employment which shall be created by the Municipal Commissioner. This will then constitute the pool from which any contracted party for door to door waste collection and processing can hire its labour.
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Why SWaCH does not bid for the new contract : SWaCH does not believe in bidding for the new contract in PCMC for wards A and D and did not participate in the earlier bidding process for wards B and C because:
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A weight-based waste collection contract is not a sound Solid Waste Management system. The more the weight of waste collected, the more the contractor will earn. The contractor will discourage citizens from segregating waste. Malpractices like adding water and debris to the collected waste typically arise. The maxim of Reduce, Reuse Recycle is compromised in such contracts. |
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This will lead to a misuse of public funds. |
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The system does not involve citizens – no user fee, no segregation, no recycling. A model which encourages citizens to reduce the quantity of waste by segregating and recycling also encourages them to take responsibility for the waste they produce. However in this new
system the burden is on the Corporation which in turn puts it on the contractor. Space for the mounting garbage, funds to pay the contractor, for increasing quantities of waste become key challenges over time. |
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The new system takes away waste pickers’ traditional access to waste by giving the rights to the contractor. Waste pickers must have rights over recyclable waste. This is affirmed by the Ministry of Urban Development Circular. |
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Pune city has clearly shown that where there is political will, a decentralised, participatory, economically efficient and environmental model can work to the benefit of all. |
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| Swach PCMC High Court Case - The following is a short write-up on the recently concluded Writ Petition filed by Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat in the Bombay High Court with the background, contents of the petition, actual proceedings and analysis - Read More |
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| SWaCH Goal |
To become a successful, self sustainable social enterprise of waste pickers aiming to improve their living conditions along with focus on self - sustainable SWM.
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| SWaCH Mission |
| To engage an entrepreneurial workforce of waste pickers into an efficient, responsive and accountable organisation and work in partnership with the municipal SWM system to transform the SWM situation in Pune.. |
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| SWaCH Vision |
SWaCH envisions a society that is socially just, economically equitable, culturally plural, politically democratic, environmentally sustainable peaceful and humane.
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Team SWaCH
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| Mangal Pagare: CEO, SWaCH |
Mangal has worked with women's issues for the last 17 years. Before taking over as CEO in 2012, she was Area Coordinator with SWaCH. She has been actively involved in organising women's development forums and has extensive experience in organising workshops and programmes on social issues in rural and urban areas in Maharashtra. She has also participated in a workshop organised by UNIFEM in Nepal, on human trafficking in South Asia. She holds an M.Com degree. |
| pagaremangala@gmail.com |
+917875445251 |
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| Vishnu Shrimangale: Operations Manager, SWaCH |
Vishnu has completed his MA degree from the University of Pune, followed by a post-graduate interdisciplinary certificate course in Women's Studies from the University of Pune in April, 2009. He also holds an M.Phil degree from the Department of Political Science, from the University of Pune. He joined SWaCH as Ward Coordinator in July 2009. Vishnu has worked in various capacities in SWaCH – such as Area Coordinator, Outreach Activities and has also been involved with Zero-Waste Management activities. |
| shrimangale@gmail.com |
+919765999547 |
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| Malati Gadgil: SWaCH Business Expansion |
Malati has completed an MA in Sociology from Temple University, USA, focussing on public health and gender. She has worked in HIV/AIDS-related research and advocacy with Asian MSMs and drug users in Harlem, New York city and as visiting staff in India. Prior to working with SWaCH, Malati has worked with waste pickers in Delhi after spending 14 years in the US. |
| malti.gadgil@gmail.com |
+91-9158007062 |
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| Aparna Susarla: Manager, Data |
Aparna has completed a Masters in Environmental Science from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam and
a post-graduate diploma in Waste Management from Annamalai University in 2007.
Having worked as a Programme Officer with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) in Ahmedabad
and Hyderabad till 2011, she joined SWaCH in December 2011 as Manager, Data. Keenly interested in
waste and its management, her responsibilities at SWaCH currently involve leading the entire data
management system in SWACH including data collection, storage, maintaining and
analysis of data, generating timely internal and external reports, ensuring improved internal operations
and analysing trends within SWACH to enable better planning and implementation of innovations. |
| aparna.swach@gmail.com |
+ 91 9765405481 |
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| Lata Vaidya, Manager, Human Resources |
Lata has over 30 years work experience as a Deputy Manager with Air India in Mumbai, Pune and Johannesburg. This rich experience helps her head the HR team at SWaCH where she has the following responsibilities : Orientation of new staff; leave record maintenance of staff; creating and updating personnel records; supporting managers with recruitment; supporting managers with discipline of staff members; implementing the Personnel Policy; updating HR policy. |
| lata.swach@gmail.com |
+919765999546 |
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| Pratibha Sharma - Asst. Business Manager, SWaCH Plus |
Pratibha has completed a Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, in 2012 with a specialization in women centered social work. She also holds a B.Tech degree from National Institute of Technology, Surat.
Keenly interested in working with women wastepickers, she joined SWaCH in January 2013 as Function Head for SWaCH Plus. Her primary responsibilities currently involve Business Expansion of various activities under SWaCH Plus( like ST Dispo Bags, V-Collect, Composting, and other SWaCH products), to be able to strengthen existing co-operative's activities and also create new business opportunities towards Cooperative's sustainable future. |
| pratibha.swach@gmail.com |
+919158007100 |
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| Important Links |
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| If you have any queries about our history, role or our staff or would like to work with SWaCH please Contact Us. |
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