Second national convention, Alliance of Indian Wastepickers, and Asian consultation for urban local bodies, 24-26th April, 2012 /

Includes Draft National Policy for ensuring decent livelihoods in the recycling industry and National Environment Policy 2004. 24th April will mark the first day of a week long convention which will see close to 500 wastepickers in Pune from over 30 cities in India, and from Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, China, Philippines, and even Pakistan. These Asian contingents will be joined by wastepickers and activists from African and South American countries. The main purpose of this convention will be to talk about strategies to effectively integrate wastepickers into Solid Waste Management. ULB officials from all over Asia will also be part of this convention.

ULBs officials will attend a day long workshop on the 24th along with city wastepicker representatives. On the 25th visits have been arranged for all 500 particpants including ULB officials. They will see the strides PMC has made in wastepicker integration into solid waste management. Visits will include trips to see SWaCH’s Door to Door collection in PMC and PCMC, sorting sheds, KKPKP’s fair trade scrap shops, and PMC’s biogas plants, some of which are managed by wastepickers. On the 26th a debriefing session will be followed by a cultural event which includes a street play, puppet show and a drum circle simultaneously engaging all 500 participants. The International strategic workshop will proceed from 27th to 29th. The steering committee will convene on the 30th and the convention will culminate in the inauguration of zero – waste prabhags which will be attended by SWaCH and international wastepickers on May 1st, the auspicious occasion of Kamgar Din. The entire convention will be held in Yashada.

In English, Hindi and Kannada.