March 2026

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Dignity In Every Sweep - Upskilling Pourakarmikas of Bengaluru

Learning from the Best: Indore’s Integrated Waste Management Model Inspires Scalable, Community-Driven Change

Indore Exposure Visit

As part of our Intel Collaboration on the project of Upskilling the pourakarmaiks of Bengaluru, the LBTC team, along with 9 Pourakarmikas(PKs), 1 Marshal, 1 Marshal Supervisor, 1 Junior Health Inspector(JHI), and 2 Assistant General Manager (AGMs), visited Indore’s Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC), Integrated Solid Waste Management Center (ISWM), and the Wet Waste Processing Center, including the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). During the visit, the team also interacted with a Solid Waste Management expert of Indore to gain valuable insights into the processes and techniques implemented by the Indore Municipal Corporation, with the support of Intel Corporation.

The team was truly impressed and inspired by the efficiency and commitment demonstrated by the municipality. One of the key observations was the presence of NGO representatives accompanying every door-to-door collection vehicle, ensuring accountability and effective community engagement. The collection vehicles themselves were well-designed with in-built segregation compartments for dry, wet, and sanitary waste, highlighting a strong emphasis on source-level segregation.

Another notable practice was the consistency in operations—waste collection vehicles conducted at least two rounds of collection and drop-off daily, ensuring timely clearance. Street cleaning was remarkably regular, with sanitation workers visibly active every day, maintaining a high standard of cleanliness across the city.

Beyond infrastructure and systems, what stood out most was the collective responsibility displayed by the citizens. There was a strong sense of ownership among residents in keeping their city clean, and their cooperation greatly supported the system’s success. Additionally, the use of advanced app-based tracking systems was highly effective, allowing real-time monitoring of vehicle movements, ensuring route efficiency, and maintaining strict adherence to segregation protocols.

Overall, the visit provided valuable learnings and served as a powerful example of how integrated systems, active citizen participation, and consistent monitoring can transform urban waste management.

Green Ambassadors

LBTC is proud to share that we were distinctly recognized during the Swachh Survekshan 2025–2026 programme held at Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, organized by Greater Bengaluru Authority(GBA) and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML). The event, under the vision of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, focused on building a Clean and Green Bengaluru and strengthening citizen participation.

Our contribution stood out through a high number of observations and active engagement in waste management efforts. Notably, Our founder, Anirudh S. Dutt was announced as one of the Swachh Survekshan Ambassadors, alongside Manjamma Jogati, Aniruddha Jatkar, Arun Pai, K.M. Nagaraj, and Abhilash Nair.

The programme emphasized waste segregation, recycling, and collective responsibility—values that LBTC continues to actively promote on the ground.

Namma Swachha Adakmaranahalli Grama Panchayat(NSAGP)

We are excited to commence a new initiative titled “Namma Swachha Adakamaranahalli" aimed at strengthening sustainable waste management practices at the village level. The Adakamaranahalli Gram Panchayat consists of three villages—Adakamaranahalli, Makali, and Harokyatanahalli. Notably, Makali is home to the manufacturing unit of Himalaya Wellness Company.

• 02nd March: The first stakeholder meeting of NSAGP was held, bringing together key representatives to discuss the project roadmap and collaborative efforts.

• 04th March: The Himalaya Green Ambassadors Orientation was conducted, equipping volunteers with the knowledge and responsibility to drive sustainable practices at the grassroots level.

• 14th March: The NSAGP Inauguration and Plog Run marked a strong start to the initiative. A total of 850 kg of dry waste and 49 kg of reject waste were collected during the drive. The event saw active participation from 303 members from Himalaya and 150 members from the Panchayat, reflecting strong community involvement.

  
  

Additionally, a total of 1,804 households have been identified and marked under the NSAGP initiative in Adakamaranahalli Village, laying a solid foundation for systematic waste management interventions.

Namma Swachha Adugodi (NSA) 

Under the Namma Swachha Adugodi (NSA) initiative, Let’s Be The Change and Saahas continued working towards building stronger, cleaner, and more responsible communities through a blend of awareness sessions, on-ground action, and behaviour change programs across the Adugodi area.

This month’s key activities included:

Plogrun

On 7th March a successful plog run was conducted in collaboration with Bosch and Swachh Survekshan (GBA), promoting fitness alongside environmental responsibility. A total 23 participants took part in this activity.

• Awareness Session

  On 11th March, an engaging awareness session was held for 55 students at Green Land Public School, Rajendra Nagar, focusing on sustainability and waste management.

  
  
  

  

  

• Rangoli Competition

  On 15th and 29th March, a vibrant Rangoli competition was organized in 12th Block (34 participants) and 13th Block (49 participants) respectively, encouraging community participation and creativity around environmental themes.

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

• Cleanathon

  A Cleanathon drive was carried out at Adugodi, mobilizing volunteers to actively contribute towards cleaner public spaces. A total of 29 took part in this activity.

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

• Waste Audit

A continued detailed waste audit was carried out to assess the quality of segregation and identify gaps in collection practices.

Veeraru

Dairy Colony Government School

The Sustainability Fest witnessed enthusiastic participation from the entire school, with over 60 students actively engaging in various activities.

• A Drawing Competition and Waste-to-Wealth Competition were conducted, where the top 5 drawing entries and 2 innovative models were recognized and awarded.

• Students had a meaningful interaction with Pourakarmikas, where they played games and learned firsthand about waste management. Veeraru students further enriched this by explaining the Waste Journey Chain game based on their field experiences.

• Veeraru students showcased their learnings creatively through charts, songs, and drama, making the sessions both engaging and educational.

• A special highlight was a skit on “Plastic Asura” performed by Vasuki Sir, Siddu, and Balaji, delivering a strong message on plastic pollution.

  
  

The event concluded with the felicitation of Veeraru students through medals, certificates, and goodies, celebrating their successful completion of the course. The spirit and enthusiasm displayed truly reflected the essence of being Veeraru.

Police Quarters Government School

The Sustainability Fest at Police Quarters Government School was another impactful event focused on hands-on learning and community engagement.

• Veeraru students presented their learnings through demonstrations, charts, drama, and songs.

• Interactive exhibition stalls were set up on topics such as SWM games, bio-enzyme preparation, composting, and rainwater harvesting, where students explained concepts to their peers.

• A Repair Campaign was organized to promote reuse and reduce waste. The initiative saw impressive participation, including:

  • 54 tailor repairs

  • 44 button stitchings

  • 27 cobbler repairs

  • 39 bag zip repairs

  • 38 bag repairs

  • 9 bicycle repairs

• A basic stitching and keychain-making workshop was conducted for Classes 6–8, with 61 students participating.

• As part of strengthening sustainable practices on campus, a compost (compound) bin was also installed within the police quarters, encouraging proper waste management at the source.

  
  

The event concluded with the distribution of certificates and goodies to the Veeraru students, marking the successful completion of their journey.

Project Repurpose 2.0

We, in partnership with OSB India, officially launched Project Repurpose 2.0 and started the drives from October every alternate Sunday. Till last month we had conducted 12 drives and collected over 10,523 Kgs bulky waste. The drive marked the beginning of a renewed collaboration focused on sustainable waste management, textile upcycling, and corporate engagement.

Here is the updated table of this months drive — clearly stating that all old clothes and the listed materials were collected to prevent piling up at home and instead donated for upcycling and repurposing:

Category	13th Repurpose Drive	14th Repurpose Drive	15th Repurpose Drive	16th Repurpose Drive
Location	Bannerghatta	Rest House Road	Bellandur	Mavali
Date	1st March 2026	7th March 2026	14th March 2026	29th March 2026
Drop-Off Contributions	13+ participants	36+ participants	53+ Participants	7+ Participants
Total waste  collected	130.75 kgs	1,017.93 kgs	942 Kgs	243.44 Kgs

We successfully conducted the final Repurpose Drive 2.0 at an apartment complex in Mavalli, marking the conclusion of this phase of the initiative. During this drive alone, a total of 243.44 kg of materials was collected. With this, Repurpose Drive 2.0 comes to a close—a journey powered by collective effort and strong community participation.

Namma Swaccha Madiwala

Happiest Minds, concerned about persistent cleanliness challenges in the Madiwala Market region, approached Let’s Be The Change (LBTC) seeking a structured and sustainable waste-management solution under their CSR initiative. In response, LBTC launched “Namma Swaccha Madiwala,” a 6-month pilot programme focused on transforming waste handling practices in the area.

This month, we also conducted a vendor survey to better understand on-ground challenges and concerns. The programme emphasized waste segregation, recycling, and collective responsibility—values that LBTC continues to actively promote on the ground.

Secret Santa… Extended Edition

Who says Secret Santa has to happen in December?

In a truly well-planned turn of events, our team finally exchanged gifts on March 4th—because clearly, we believe in building suspense for a solid three months.

Of course, this wasn’t delay… it was team bonding. Nothing brings people closer than trying to remember who their Secret Santa was after an entire semester. Between the confusion, laughter, and surprisingly thoughtful gifts, it turned into a fun break from routine.

Safe to say, we’ve officially redefined the tradition:Secret Santa — now with extra patience and stronger bonding.

Erudition Time:

Starting April 1, the Solid Waste Management (SWM) initiative will be formally implemented to strengthen waste segregation, streamline collection systems, and improve overall cleanliness in the community. The initiative will focus on proper bin placement, monitoring segregation at source, awareness among vendors and residents, and structured tracking of waste movement.

This marks a significant step towards building a more accountable and sustainable waste management system, ensuring long-term environmental impact and community participation.

Which type of waste is human nail ?

• Wet waste
• Reject Waste
• Dry waste