The by-product of any big event is the waste that it generates. On Sunday, it was the Airtel Marathon. But this time, GHAC supported Waste Warriors to ensure that the waste was managed efficiently and sent for recycling.
Waste Warriors is a voluntary social service organisation committed to clean up India. Originated in Himachal Pradesh, the Hyderabad chapter is headed by Swetha Dandpani.
“We have been associated with the Airtel Marathon for over two years now. In 2013, I proposed this idea to Waste Warriors in Dharamshala and they agreed to be a part of the waste management team of the marathon,” Swetha says. She adds, “We hired waste workers — almost 80 of them — to clean up the garbage as and when it was produced. Usually, after an event, the venue is cleaned up. But the waste collected is not fit for recycling. So we decided to clean it up immediately. We also had Green Nest and Cognizant Outreach (other waste management organisations) participating along with us.”
Green Nest is a social service group in Hyderabad comprising college students. Sriram Arumilli, the president of the Hyderabad chapter says, “We had around 150 volunteers. We approached Waste Warriors and that is how we became a part of it.”
The students covered the entire stretch. “Our team split into eight groups of five volunteers each. The entire stretch from Necklace Road to Gachibowli Stadium was covered by us,” he says.
The team segregated waste into three categories — paper and unused food packs, plastic waste and biodegradable waste. IT professionals also came out to help. Phani Kasukurthi of the Cognizant Green Brigade Group said, “We covered the IT corridor and this is the third time we helped in waste management during this Marathon. It’s part of our social service and corporate responsibility wing.”
