India (Commonwealth Union)_ Waste to wealth has become increasingly important in recent years as the world grapples with environmental challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and pollution. It was a momentous occasion for Kamala Moharana, a 64-year-old lady from an ordinary village in the Kendrapara district, as the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised her ingenious concept of recycling garbage. During his monthly radio show “Mann Ki Baat,” PM Modi appreciated the work of Kamala, who leads a women’s self-help group and creates several creative items, such as hand-made baskets and mobile stands out of waste milk pouches and other plastic packaging things.
During the show, the PM expressed optimism towards the initiative. He said, “This is becoming a good source of income for the women’s group along with ensuring cleanliness in the area. If we resolve, we can make a huge contribution towards a clean India. One day you will see how much satisfaction your resolution will give you, and also inspire other people”. According to the prime minister, “waste to wealth” is a vital aspect of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He encouraged people to vow to replace plastic bags with cotton ones. He stated, “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has changed the meaning of public participation in the country and it is one of the great things we have achieved in recent times”.
Kamala, a resident of Khairabad within the Gulnagar panchayat in the surroundings of Kendrapara town, runs the ‘Ma Thanapati’ SHG. The SHG, which was founded in 2016, is composed of nearly 30 women who transform waste materials into attractive materials such as baskets, pen and mobile phone stands, flower pots, hand fans, and wall hangings. In response to the appreciation from the PM, Kamala expressed her gratitude to him. She said, “I am on cloud nine after the prime minister appreciated my work in his Maan Ki Baat program.”
Kamala further explained the nature of her profession and said that she regularly gathers plastic packets, polythene, bottles, food and biscuit wrappers, milk packets, and other trash things that contribute significantly to environmental degradation. Kamala, who is a mother of six children, said, “We collect these waste things from garbage dumps and recycle them properly. Earlier, villagers used to believe that I was a Kabadiwalla. But now, they recognize our job and buy the recycled items”. In addition, many political figures and officials also visited the village of Khairabad and wished Kamala after she was mentioned on the PM’s radio show.
Accordingly, Sandhyarani Sahoo, Gulnagar sarpanch, conveyed his wishes to Kamala and stated that the locals are ecstatic that Prime Minister Modi recognized her for her job. He stated that it is a moment of pride for the villagers. Niranjan Behera, the sub-collector of Kendrapara, stated that under her supervision, several village women are transforming garbage into a marvel. In addition to earning money, these ladies are also cleaning the local environment. He also stated that the district government will assist Kamala in promoting her work in every way possible.
Waste to wealth is a concept that focuses on transforming waste materials into valuable resources. The idea behind this concept is to minimize waste generation and promote sustainability by reusing and recycling materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or pollute the environment. By converting waste into useful products, we can reduce our reliance on virgin resources and create new economic opportunities. This approach also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve natural resources, and minimize environmental pollution. Overall, in this era of sustainability, turning waste into wealth has become a key driver of innovation and economic growth.
