Solid waste Management
The village generates waste every single day. Managing that waste requires not a single event, but a permanent, functioning system. Building that system in Kheel Jasli is what this project is about.
Overview
The Challenge
The absence of a formal solid waste management system in Kheel Jasli was not an oversight — it was a structural gap that had never been addressed by local authorities despite years of need. As the village grew, the volume of waste generated grew with it. But the mechanisms for handling that waste did not.
Open burning was the most common method of waste disposal — a practice that is not only environmentally harmful but directly toxic to human health. Open dumping was the alternative. Neither was acceptable, and yet both were happening daily because there was simply no other option available to residents.
What We did
Earth Healers Foundation built a practical, on-the-ground solid waste management system for Kheel Jasli from scratch. A dedicated garbage collection vehicle was procured and arranged to make regular rounds of the village, collecting waste directly from households and removing the primary reason for open dumping — the absence of a collection service.
Permanent cleaning staff were hired and deployed to sweep and maintain the village's streets on a daily basis. The composting facility was established to divert organic waste away from landfill or burning. Dry waste collection drums were installed to capture recyclable materials. Together, these elements formed an integrated system — not perfect, but functional, consistent, and growing.
Impact & Current status
The system is operational and making a measurable difference to the day-to-day cleanliness and health environment of Kheel Jasli. Open burning has decreased significantly in areas served by the collection vehicle. Streets are visibly cleaner. Residents who once had no option but to dump or burn now have an accessible alternative.
What's next
The long-term goal is to replicate Kheel Jasli's waste management system, managed and operated by Earth Healers Foundation to one that is formally integrated into other villages as well. We are actively advocating for this adaptation with authorities.
