Dulari Kujur, Swachagrahi in Rampur gram panchayat, North and Middle Andaman, has been helping collect waste from Karmatang Ward of the gram panchayat and transporting it to the solid and liquid waste management cluster at Karmatang and helping in the segregation into different categories to assist in the recycling process. Given that the islands are popular tourist attractions, Kujur realizes the detrimental effects of waste, particularly plastic, on human health and environment.
These are not the only women leaders who have been given recognition for their work in making their villages ODF Plus model. Some of the others include Gadge Meenakshi, sarpanch of Mukhra K village in Adilabad District of Telangana, Geeta Devi, sarpanch of Pallanwala Lower Gram Panchayat (GP) in Jammu District of Jammu and Kashmir, Geeta Vinod Pawar, gram panchayat member of Dhupatmahagao GP in Bidar District of Karnataka, Harjinder Kaur Kahlon, sarpanch of Peroshah GP in Gurdaspur District of Punjab, Kavita Devi, sarpanch of Purara GP in Bageshwar District of Uttarakhand, Anita Gopesh Sahu, sarpanch of Patora GP in Durg District of Chhattisgarh, Neelam Singh, sarpanch of Bharatpur in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. This list goes on. Hailing from different parts of the country, what is common is their success in overcoming deep-seated cultural resistance to women’s participation in decision making to bring about major changes in the villages that benefits all. From helping with the construction of household toilets to community sanitary complexes to waste segregation and management these women have been at the forefront of community efforts. Many have managed to get rid of the mosquito and other water borne diseases while creating importance about community participation including user fees to utilize sanitation and water facilities. Many of them have received training in the various projects they undertake in their villages including planning nutria-gardens and plantations within the anganwadi centres.