With Hands On Waste, Megha Raha Drives Citizen Responsibility In Waste Management

In India, working with waste is not only a physically unpleasant experience but also one marred by social indifference. It is no secret that sanitation professionals bear the burden of caste and class marginalisation, gender biases, and other stigmas. SheThePeople, in collaboration with Women Climate Collective, brings forth the journey of Megha Raha, who is tackling this deep-seated issue by spearheading the involvement of citizens in waste management reform. 

Kolkata-based Megha Raha shared the story behind her venture Hands on Waste, and how she works to create an inclusive and responsible system that positively impacts sanitation workers, the public, and the environment simultaneously. Here are excerpts from the interview.

Megha Raha On India's Mounting Waste Problem

Can you share your background; How did your journey in waste management begin? 

I am a development professional who has been working in the sector since 2018. From a young age, environmental science sparked my interest in sustainability, and I actively sought ways to put those lessons into practice. As I grew up, my passion deepened, leading me to explore different case studies and business models that prioritise people and our planet.

When I was on a family vacation to Mysuru, Karnataka, the waste management system there intrigued me. I started visiting different NGOs in Kolkata once I was back from the trip and completed a ten-month internship with a city-based pollution control group where waste was one of the themes.

Further, I enrolled in a Master's course in development studies to gain more expertise in the sector. Alongside my studies, my interest in sustainability drove me to co-design a project named Wonders of Waste, dedicated to creating sustainable installations for offices, cafes, and events in Kolkata. 

The goal was to promote reusing and upcycling practices to raise public awareness of waste management. During my post-graduation in Bengaluru, I participated in designing a zero-waste campus model, and our team took the first position. Additionally, I actively designed surveys for waste pickers for a separate project in Maharashtra, aiming to understand the social security processes relevant to the target groups. I also collaborated on creating recommendation pieces for local authorities. This path then became my commitment to building a climate-friendly future.

What is the story behind Hands on Waste? In India, working with waste is associated with caste and class stigma. How do you aim to tackle these issues sensitively?

During my past research work and interactions with different stakeholders, people’s perceptions toward waste became very clear. I started building on those experiences and launched Hands on Waste to curate field stories that can engage citizens over social media with a series called #wastetalks. The series covered the lived experiences of waste workers across India. 

The waste problem is much more complex than meets the eye. The people working in the sector are mostly unrecognised workers and face various challenges. The sole reason for starting the campaign was to use the power of social media and attract more citizens to the daily work challenges of the workers through storytelling. Many researchers and educators started using our posts to make citizens more aware. This motivated me further to dedicate this platform to improving people's relationship with waste. The journey will be long, but I hope to bring behavioural change to the sector with inclusive models. 

The irresponsible handling of waste, especially in urban areas, creates a huge but ignored impact on sanitation workers; Can you describe some social and health issues that specifically women in this profession face?

The unplanned handling and disposal of waste have created highly unsafe working conditions for waste workers, especially when dealing with mixed waste, which can also contain sharp objects or toxic chemicals. In India, most waste is handled by informal (roughly 3 million) or contractual workers who typically do not have access to basic safety equipment. There are frequent accidents that lead to fatalities or serious lifelong injuries. Skin diseases, cuts, back issues, jaundice and respiratory infections are also very common among waste workers. Even though they use their skills to sort through recyclables and divert the burden on the landfills, waste workers are categorised as ‘unskilled’, leaving room for greater exploitation.

From my past interviews with waste workers, it was also revealed that some of the migrant street waste pickers have not informed their families in their hometown about the nature and type of work they do, which might lead to discriminatory attitudes from their community. The stress of dangerous working conditions, along with societal shame, creates mental stress as well. Even though they are doing essential work, most of these workers remain outside the purview of a recognised occupation.

Women waste workers are often mistreated and subjected to severe harassment for their work. Women also put in extra labour to sort waste while facing lower compensation.

During one of my interactions, a group of women waste workers discussed the nature of their work: “We collect waste on foot and sell whatever is left after the men have finished the collection by vehicle.”

Most of the work the women workers do is manual, even in recycling units, and the men are tasked with machinery handling, which, by nature of work, already creates a gap in compensation. We hope to design newer models of waste collection that take into account the working conditions of waste workers. 

How has your journey as a woman been in the social impact sector? Have you ever faced any gender discrimination or challenges while interacting with the public, other organizations, workers, etc?

My journey has had its ups and downs, and there have been times when exciting projects did not turn out as they were supposed to. The biggest demotivators have been repeated requests for free services, with organisations arguing that ours is a social work, not a commercial one. In one of our early projects, a client openly said they gave us the project because we were a women-led initiative.

Then, of course, there are extremely passionate people and organisations who struggle to pay us the required compensation, forcing us to make tough decisions. I am unsure if this is the default experience for women in this sector, but my experiences have also helped me become more confident in my work and style without compromising my vision. 

What is the role of organisations like the Women Climate Collective in facilitating climate action where every stakeholder’s voices are heard? How has the Collective been helpful in your personal journey?

Being a part of the Women Climate Collective platform has given me a fresh perspective on ideating and developing my pitches and campaigns, as a lot of my work involves advocacy. It also led me to meet a fantastic bunch of women who are working in the climate sector. I am grateful to discuss the challenges we face while pitching as a woman with others who have similar experiences.

How has working in the sustainability sector impacted your life?

I started my sustainability journey in 2018 with different on-ground campaigns in schools and colleges. Since then, my life has revolved around being mindful of my consumption and waste disposal strategies. I have also adapted to buying thrift items and upcycled products.

Working with different startups in the last few years has significantly realigned my personal and professional goals. During various workshops and events, I connected with many like-minded folks who have become some of my life's most influential people. Working in this sector has given a whole new meaning to my outlook towards life and the kind of things I enjoy doing. 

Women Climate Collective is a platform dedicated to developing leadership and empowering women in the climate and gender equity spaces across India.