1. WECARE The initial thought- 1.Need to have a professional public pressure group to monitor and work for making Guwahati a cleaner, safer and secure place to live in 2.To establish an authentic group that will be trusted by the citizens of the city.

2. THE FIRST MEETING: 1 st week of Feb.2012: brainstorming with few women professionals Name WECARE coined (Women Empowered Cell Advocating Responsibilities in Everyone) Consensus not to make it a formal organisation Formally launched on 26 th February (the date when formal agreement between RAMKY & GMC was signed in 2008)

3. Vision: To propagate a conducive climate amongst all stakeholders to facilitate the enforcement of civil amenities which every citizen is entitled to WECARE: Women Empowered Cell Advocating Responsibilities in Everyone

4. Initial Initiatives 1.Study of the Solid Waste Management(SWM) Act and the implementation in Guwahati 2.Agreement between GMC and RAMKY 3.Identifying stakeholders involved in waste disposal and management 4.Developing questionaire for pilot survey on waste disposal and management:household,commercial,hospitals

5. Few Landmarks After a series of brainstorming sessions amongst WECARE member First meeting with GMC Commissioner 10 th of March,2012 Initiating the pilot survey Meeting with RAMKY, 31 st of March,2012 Meeting with civil society groups 2 nd Meeting with GMC Commissioner Meeting with representatives of GMC,RAMKY and NGOS Decision to take up a pilot project and submission of draft proposal to GMC Commissioner

6. Interaction withRAMKY date: 31 st March 1)Basic flaw in the DPR 2)Outdated equipments purchased by GMC 3)30 NGO's engaged for door to door collection. 4)initial idea was to charge Rs 50 from every household in 2008 5)Most people refused to pay so the policy was changed.

7. Information collected from RAMKY contd. 6. GMC decided to pay RAMKY Rs.50 per household for 1lac households and out of that Rs.12 per household is paid for the collection to the NGO's.But Guwahati's present no. of households is 2 lac plus. 7.The present compost plant capacity is very less.another one is in the installation process. 8.RAMKY has 300 employees and 30 supervisors. 9.Commercial establishments have to tie up with RAMKY for collection. 10.Hostels refuse to tie up. 11.Govt. markets are not under their jurisdiction. 12.Dead animals,construction and demolition waste and sludge is not under their jurisdiction.

8. Meeting with Civil Society Groups 28 th April 2012: Meeting with NGOs and civil society representatives Experience sharing Agreed to work together as a pressure group

9. Meeting with the Commissioner, GMC: Date:5 th of May,2012 1.The findings of the study was shared with the Commissioner, GMC 2.Emphasised on ban on certain amount of plastics and thermocols 3.Briefed him on meeting with civil society groups and readiness to work as facilitators 4.A request was made to arrange a meeting with the NGO’s working for RAMKY

10. Meeting with the NGOs working under Ramky Date:13 th of May,2012 Objective: Understand the mandate given to the NGOs Different activities carried out Problems faced by the NGOs Representatives of GMC,NGOs,WECARE : Problems identified and suggestions given

11. NGOs came up with problems like garbage disposal of commercial establishments,Bin shortage,shortage of equipments. RAMKY : garbage lifting from secondary points,rate fixation for commercial establishments Suggestions to GMC: Media,Penalty,grievance cell NGOs ready to cooperate Need for pilot project agreed

12. WECARE volunteered to partner with GMC and act as a facilitator Take up a pilot project Draft proposal sent to GMC