A Catalyst for Change

"When I saw waste piling up in every corner of our neighborhood, I knew I had to take action. It wasn’t easy convincing everyone to pay the collection fee, but I explained that keeping our surroundings clean was for our health and future. Today, seeing Gudiyan Tola clean makes me proud of what we achieved together as a community."

Initially, implementing Swachh Uday interventions in Gudiyan Tola was challenging, as the community was reluctant to pay the fifty-rupee fee to LNN for door-to-door waste collection. Consequently, household waste was being disposed of in nearby vacant plots and public spaces, resulting in waste heaps throughout Gudiyan Tola.

Shweta Kashyap played a pivotal role in establishing a door-to-door waste collection service and eliminating Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVP) by registering complaints on the Lucknow One app. She, along with LNN sweepers, visited every household in Gudiyan Tola to emphasize the importance of proper waste disposal. Shweta initiated the collection of fees from each household, remitting payments to LNN on behalf of the community. Thanks to her efforts, the door-to-door waste collection service now operates seamlessly without interruption. Today, the Gudiyan Tola community directly pays waste collection charges to LNN, and there is not a single GVP remaining in the area. Shweta and her fellow Swachhata Samiti members, encouraging community to segregate dry and wet waste at the source. Her relentless dedication has resulted in a noticeable improvement in cleanliness throughout Gudiyan Tola, Daliganj ward in Lucknow.

To create an enabling environment, the PSI India team collaborates with influential community stakeholders to establish Mohalla Swachhata Samitis (MSS) in slum areas. Shweta is an active member of MSS and assists PSI India in strengthening and empowering these community groups to demand WASH services from Lucknow Nagar Nigam (LNN).