A team of ten rag pickers collected waste generated at the Hyderabad marathon
HYDERABAD, Aug 28 (The CONNECT) – In a ground-breaking idea, Ragpickers were involved in the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2024 held on the last Sunday to manage waste and earn money too
No matter how well the marathons are organised, they still generate waste from food, packaging, goodie bags, and plastic water bottles that get left behind by spectators and runners.
Hyderabad Runners Society came up with a novel idea to involve ragpickers.
A team of ten rag pickers- seven women and three men -collected and segregated plastic waste, ensuring it was sent to recycling centres. They separated wet waste and took away dry waste with them which they will sell to make additional money. The plastic was sent for recycling.
Their participation contributed to a cleaner environment and gave them a sense of pride and belonging in such a significant community event.
Many runners appreciated the organisers for this idea.
Ragpickers are unrecognised and unpaid but are critical for waste management. They play a vital role in India’s waste management and recycling systems, recycling nearly 20% of the country’s waste. Despite their contributions, they often face discrimination, lack social security, and remain unrecognized and unpaid.
Recognizing these harsh realities, race director Rajesh Vetcha proposed the idea to involve ragpickers in this year’s marathon, which was brought to life by Venkat Ankam from the sustainability and waste management team of Hyderabad Runners.
The collaboration focused on ragpickers from the Singareni colony near Saroornagar, one of the largest slum areas in Hyderabad. On the race day, ten rag pickers joined the event at 3:30 am. They were given T-Shirts, and breakfast. They worked with remarkable energy, collecting, sorting, and packing waste with dedication till 9 am. Their efforts ensured a cleaner environment and gave them a sense of pride and belonging in one of Hyderabad’s largest community events and earned money too.
This initiative was made possible through the combined efforts of Dha3R NGO and Viswa Sustainable Foundation. Beyond the marathon, the team discovered a pressing need for financial support for the education of children in the slum area. Inspired by this experience, there are now plans to extend further assistance to these children, marking the beginning of a long-term commitment to uplifting this community
