Nestlé India has launched Project Hilldaari in Darjeeling, West Bengal, to improve solid waste management. The initiative, supported by Nestlé India and implemented by PLAN Foundation and technical partner Recity India, aims to develop inclusive, contextualized, and resilient models for solid and plastic waste management in select tourist cities in India. The project is currently operational in Mussoorie, Mahabaleshwar, Ponda, Dalhousie, and Munnar.
A roundtable discussion was organized with stakeholders to discuss plastic waste management issues. Project Hilldaari has diverted over 27,000 MT of waste from landfills through source segregation, achieving 80% of source segregation across over 20,000 residential and commercial waste collection points. The initiative is working towards professionalizing waste workers and providing them with occupational ID, health insurance, and protective gear. Over 560 waste workers have been trained to become key part of behavior change interventions.
Congratulating Nestlé India, PLAN Foundation and Recity Network on the launch of Project Hilldaari, Mr. Dipen Thakuri, Chairman, Darjeeling Municipality said, “ We appreciate Nestlé India, along with implementation partner PLAN Foundation and technical partner Recity Network and other stakeholders for initiating a systematic approach through Project Hilldaari towards holistic waste management solutions in the city. I am hopeful Darjeeling will be an example for other cities to follow.”