At this Harvalem unit, women ignite recycling revolution

Panaji: Beneath a sweltering tin roof in Harvalem, discarded plastic gets another life. At the heart of this transformation is a group of women long relegated to the margins — now leading Goa’s grassroots war on plastic pollution.

Inside the stuffy shed, 13 pairs of hands work swiftly, sorting waste that would otherwise choke landfills. So far, these ‘safai sathis’ — or sanitation partners — have diverted 146 tonnes of plastic from dump sites. The waste, collected from homes, schools, restaurants, and resorts, is meticulously sorted into 24 categories, from plastic film and chip packets to detergent bottles and glass.

Among them is Vishaka Gauns, 38, from Voileawadda, Harvalem. “I used to be bored sitting at home,” she says. “Now I feel good about working. I don’t take money from my husband anymore. I use my own.” A mother of two, Gauns buys school supplies for her children and has even started saving every month. “I bought an LIC policy,” she says proudly. “Earlier, I had to say no when my kids asked for things. Now, I don’t deny them.”

The collected waste is sorted by hand on a conveyor belt, then compressed and baled for dispatch to authorised recycling units. The non-recyclables are sent to cement kilns — ensuring nearly nothing goes to a landfill.

Supported by Bisleri International’s ‘Bottles for Change’ initiative, the Harvalem facility is a small but crucial step in Goa’s battle against plastic waste. With a target of diverting at least 360 tonnes from landfills, Bisleri International provided the conveyor belt and baling equipment. The segregated plastic is sent for recycling and is then used to make benches, T-shirts and plumbing pipes.

In addition to Bisleri’s logistical support, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has integrated all 13 of its Goa resorts into the collection system. At flagship properties like Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, benches made from recycled plastic bottles showcase the recycling efforts.

For many women here, this is their first formal job. Babita Babaji Malik, 40, once worked at a cashew factory in Valpoi. “My legs would swell because we had to be on our feet all day to break cashews,” she recalls. A relative brought her to Harvalem three years ago. “Now my knees don’t pain, and my life has changed. I can go wherever I want using my own money. Earlier, my husband would grumble when I asked for money. Now, I don’t need to ask.”

But the impact runs deeper than waste diversion.

“These women have mobilised friends from their own community and formed the self-help group. The interesting thing is that because they are earning now, they have started saving and giving loans to one another,” says Tejashree Kumbhar, director of Sampurnearth Foundation, which has partnered with the self-help group for administrative assistance.

Malik has grown into a key member of the team, often guiding other women and managing responsibilities. Her job has taken her beyond the boundaries of her village. “I never went beyond Panaji,” she says. “But now, I’ve seen Vagator, the beaches, different hotels. We even went to a goushala and an ashram at Sinquerim. I never thought I’d see such places.”

Thirteen of the 19 workers are women. They earn, save, and are now recognised as contributors to the household income. Both Gauns and Malik say they are saving up to rebuild their old mud homes.

For women who previously lacked identity documents, the job has enabled bureaucratic recognition. “Since joining here, I got my PAN card, a passbook, ABHA card, Aadhaar card, and Deen Dayal card. I also have life insurance in my name,” Malik says.

The recycling shed has quietly become a site of environmental and social renewal — one plastic bottle at a time.