Nellore Equips Waste Pickers With Garbage Collection Vehicles

NELLORE: In a move to promote sustainable livelihoods, Nellore district collector Himanshu Shukla on Wednesday flagged off garbage collection vehicles for 30 waste pickers under an initiative of the Navjeevan Organisation.

The programme, held at the Collectorate under the supervision of district revenue officer N. Vijayakumar, aims to improve the income of waste pickers while integrating them into organised solid waste management.

Navjeevan Organisation president Kalvapalli Sahadevayya said the organisation has been working for the welfare of waste pickers in Nellore district for the past 30 years, focusing on health, education and economic empowerment. It is currently implementing welfare and development programmes for 2,059 waste pickers in the district.

He said, with support from the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC), the organisation is promoting the transition from manual to mechanised sanitation across five southern states. The initiative aims to provide waste pickers with safer working conditions and improved livelihood opportunities.