Ragpickers play silent yet vital role in Vishwamitri rejuvenation project

Vadodara: An army of ragpickers is silently contributing to the Vishwamitri river rejuvenation project by ensuring the removal and recycling of plastic waste found along the riverbanks and in the soil excavated during river resectioning.

Plastic waste had long been a major concern even before restoration work began. The riverbanks were known to contain significant quantities of plastic and other waste — including discarded footwear embedded in the soil.

To address the issue, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) adopted a unique approach by engaging ragpickers in the cleanup effort. A total of 271 ragpickers have been deployed at various dredging sites, focusing on areas where waste accumulates during flooding and locations that were previously used as dumping grounds.

These ragpickers have collected an impressive 967 metric tonnes of plastic waste during the course of the project. The collected waste is handed over to a Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB)-approved recycling agency. Ragpickers are compensated under the Ragpickers Shramjivi Arthik Vikas Yojana, a state govt scheme that also includes payments from the recycling agency based on the weight of waste deposited.

According to a VMC official, ragpickers receive a subsidy of Rs 3 per kg of plastic waste submitted to the recycling agency, capped at 10kg per day. The scheme was introduced after it emerged that certain types of plastic — particularly single-use and multilayer plastic — were often ignored due to their low resale value.

The official further noted that the quality of plastic recovered from the river is extremely poor. Most of it is now being converted into refuse-derived fuel, according to sources.