Rural FMCG demand has surpassed urban. However, there is no system for collection of the packaging waste, especially wrappers and sachets in most villages in the country. Most villages in the country burn or litter the waste in their homes/ backyards causing large scale soil, water and air pollution. Solid and liquid waste management is an integral part of Swacch Bharat Mission (Grameen) 2.0. However, the on-ground implementation remains a challenge. Green Communities Foundation (GCF), a non-profit, has created a waste management model covering 7 blocks of Raigad district to tackle the above challenges. Till date it has managed to save over 250 tons of inorganic waste from getting littered or burnt from over 325 villages and sent it for responsible disposal.
Green Communities Foundation (GCF)
Kedar Sohoni is a technology entrepreneur who has built research and analytics companies. His earlier company Informate was acquired by Nielsen. Kedar studied waste management as part of his volunteering stint at his own society where he implemented segregation at source and on-site composting. He set up Green Communities Foundation in 2017 and replicated this model across various societies in Mumbai. Current focus areas for GCF are Rural Waste Management and ward level waste management programs in Mumbai. Kedar is a B.Tech. from IIT Bombay (1989-1993) and a PGDM from IIM Lucknow (1994-1006) and started his career with Nestle in the marketing function.