Dear Friends,

My last update was in April 2018. A lot has happened since then. Here is a snapshot-

1. We presented the petition signed by 1000+ supporters in May 2018 to the then head of the Solid Waste Management Department at PMC, Mr. Suresh Jagtap. He instructed the ward level officials to take appropriate actions to make Kharadi garbage free. He also sanctioned the night collection van for hotels and restaurants in Kharadi and promised that our main demand for a night collection van will be met soon.

2. Citizens are continuing to participate by posting pictures of garbage heaps, burning garbage along with the offenders on multiple Whatsapp platforms. PMC staff is now taking strict action against offenders. Fines are regularly slapped on anyone caught dumping the garbage either in person or via photo/video proofs submitted by alert residents.

3. We conducted awareness sessions for garbage segregation in different societies, a "My Garbage My Responsibility" poster distribution for the shop owners across Kharadi. We also roped in NGOs such as Janwani and Adar Poonawala Clean Cities Initiative and worked with them shoulder to shoulder.

4. Residents have started various initiatives such as a weekly cleaning drives across Kharadi to create awareness. One such mega cleaning drive was organized on 2nd October 2018 to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, where 400+ people showed up and cleaned a very busy "Kharadi Bypass chowk" to create awareness about cleanliness.

5. Last year on 2nd October 2017, we had adopted the Tuscan Estate Road - a filthy street full of burning heaps of garbage, stray dogs and foul smell. To tackle the garbage monster, we employed many tactics such as-

• Regular reporting of garbage dumping/burning to PMC with pictures and video proofs.
• Monitoring of chronic garbage spots coupled with education/awareness sessions in neighbouring bastis along with Janwai (an NGO).
• Plantation of 175 native trees on both sides of the road with a dedicated gardener and drip irrigation system for them.

I am glad to report that due to sustained & dedicated efforts, the face of the Tuscan Estate Road has turned around in one year. Garbage burning has completely stopped, dumping has been reduced to a great extent, foul smell is gone, and the trees are thriving.

To celebrate the first milestone and to apply the final touch, we organized a beautification drive on the same road on 2nd October 2018. For this we selected an eyesore where people used to throw garbage and asked the neighbourhood kids to paint it with beautiful flowers and a swachchta slogan "Ham Sabne Yah Thana Hai, Bharat Swachcha Banana Hai".

Today, one year later, the same filthy street, is an attraction where everyone wants to pose for a picture! This what I call CHANGE!!!

Coming back to Kharadi as a whole, we have started many initiatives, but our journey is far from over. For example, the night garbage collection van for hotels was started by PMC but stopped after some time. We need your help to start it again. Please share and circulate this petition again so our demand for the night garbage collection van for hotels can be addressed by the current head of SWM at PMC, Mr. Dyaneshwar Molak.

I will end this update with a big THANK YOU to all of you who believed in the collective power of people, signed, shared, and promoted this petition. Your efforts are making a difference, one street at a time!