Waste paper collection from your households will soon go hi-tech, with the launch of India’s first-of-its-kind Web site www.pastiwala.com, by technology mughal Sam Pitroda in Vadodara on June 16.
A local company, Sort India Enviro-Solutions Ltd, is launching the Web portal, which will also be its brand. Even the company’s official ring tone on phones will be “pastiwala.” It is the first-ever organised waste paper collector in India, said its promoter whose company collects waste paper from both industries and households.
A brainchild of entrepreneur Paresh Parekh, the waste paper collection and recycling company will use 25 three-wheelers, 10 four-wheelers, 20 big trucks and other means to collect waste paper. “Ours is perhaps India’s only company that uses high technology for the benefit of the bottom-of-the-pyramid in the society: the waste paper collectors,” he told
Parekh, who launched this initiative in 2013 on an experimental basis, said he is now enrolling thousands of students, common citizens and unskilled workers to contribute to the unique initiative and help make environment eco-friendly.
The company, which has tied up with recycled paper makers, will act as a supply chain creator for them. “India is currently importing huge quantities of waste paper for recycling as our waste paper collection process is not integrated.”
The initiative will use electronic weighing scales to integrate technology with restoration of environment. One could call the company to book an appointment to get the waste paper picked up and track the truck’s movement. The company will pay Rs 13/kg at present rates for the waste paper collected.
Pitroda, being invited by the Vadodara Innovative Council, will also launch the ‘Vadodara as an innovative city’ programme to inculcate awareness about environment.
For every 20,000 tonnes of waste paper recycled, 3.40 lakh trees are saved. Since 2010, Parekh’s initiative has saved over a million trees in Vadodara alone as he prepares to expand his initiative across India.