This was the initiative under the Majhi Vasundhara Mission 2024, Majhi Vasundhara Mission was first put in place in 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It focuses on identifying potential action points under the five elements of nature (Panchamahabuta) for the betterment of the environment of the local bodies of Maharashtra.
The results of this ambitious endeavor speak volumes, as evidenced by the impressive figure of 351.35 kg of e-waste collected. This milestone underscores the efficacy of collective action and highlights the significance of proactive measures in mitigating the adverse impacts of e-waste accumulation.
Under the Majhi Vasundhara Mission 2024, in conjunction with World Vasundhara Day, led by the Government of Maharashtra, an initiative was launched to promote environmental sustainability. This effort, named Dhye Swachhta Abhiyan, ran from April 22nd to April 28th, 2024, and aimed to increase public awareness and encourage action toward environmental conservation. The campaign focused on enforcing a ban on single-use plastics, collecting e-waste, and conducting sanitation awareness programs.
On 27th April, the e-waste collection campaign was launched across fifteen ward offices in Pune. Each ward office has set up a facility for collecting electronic waste, including five designated health check areas. These centers operate from 10:00 am to 01:00 pm to facilitate the e-waste collection drive.
Key partners including the Pune Municipal Corporation, Cummins India Foundation, Swachh Pune Seva Cooperative, and Aadar Poonawala Clean City Initiative contributed to the campaign's success.
This campaign aims to raise public awareness about the issues surrounding e-waste and plastic waste and to establish an organized collection system to maximize recycling. Following the campaign, initiatives will be undertaken to develop permanent collection centers within the city in the long term. This approach seeks to address the challenges posed by e-waste and plastic waste by ensuring their scientific disposal.
PMC has also initiated such drives like the Pehel 2024 which took place earlier this year to propagate awareness of e-waste and plastic awareness.