Vitla : Peruvai Gram Panchayat Vice President Nefisa drives a Swaccha Vahini vehicle which is engaged in the door-to-door collection of waste in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.

She started the new work of driving the vehicle along with her duty of engaging in the development works of the Gram Panchayat as a member-cum-vice president from May first week.

“I am happy that my skill in driving the vehicles back at home has come in handy as a Gram Panchayat member and vice president. The one who was selected for the driving was not steady in driving the vehicles. So members and officials asked me to take up the work. she said.

“We collect the garbage twice a week by covering the entire Gram Panchayat jurisdiction. We have prepared a chart to visit a particular area for waste collection daily,” said Nefisa.

The collected waste is segregated in Swaccha Sankeerna. Another lady who is part of the segregation of waste accompanies me in the vehicle to collect the waste from households and business establishments and dumps it into the vehicle, she added.

Nefisa is a first time member, and in her first term itself, she has been elected as the vice president of Peruvai GP.

“I used to be part of the cleanliness drive initiated by the Gram Panchayat in the past. The previous presidents would invite us for engaging in a cleanliness drive once in a while and I used to attend the Gram Sabha frequently. So I was aware of what was happening in the GP,” she said.

“My family has been supportive of my work. We started the door-to-door collection a few months ago. However, the two women engaged were a little hesitant in the beginning. Now, they are very active. People have been supportive of handing over the waste to the Gram Panchayat. Many a time, they also bring the problems to my notice when I visit them driving the waste collection vehicle,” said Nefisa.

Waste management has been entrusted to Sanjeevini Okkuta under NRLM in 66 Gram Panchayats in the district. In the 66 Gram Panchayats, 39 Swaccha Vahini vehicles are driven by women.