Pune

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After a long drive back to Chennai Airport we caught a flight to Pune. Airport security is very haphazard- I brought on all the liquids I wanted and a security guard tried to ink stamp Anne's leather purse!

We arrived in an even smoggier city, Pune. Very dry and hot- it kind of reminded me of Berkeley with the weather, large student population and lots of veg restaurants. 😊 We met with some of the NGO Prayas-ReLi staff later that evening and heard a very extensive and interesting history of the emergence of environmental movement in India and learned about some of the pressing issues being addressed at the organization. Their goal is to promote transparency,accountablilty and participation.

The next day we visited with a ragpickers association, which is basically a co-op formed to support the many women that sort through the day's garbage and collect the plastics and other recyclable materials to sell in order to support their families. They work long days literally combing through filth to make their living and feed their families. The organization has been very successful (we met an incredibly smart organizer who explained this all to us) and has given these women a city recognized employment status, health rights, better wages and a pooled savings fund.

Later we visited the some of the homes of the ragpickers, in a small slum. At first I felt a bit awkward being there, a group of 11 foreigners sitting on some blankets in the small alleyway, with the neighborhood peering down at us expectantly. But then we talked and listened to the local rackpickers meeting and slowly the children started approaching us smiling and laughing and curious. Soon we were invited to listen to the children sing some English songs in their family home/hut and by then end we were all laughing and smiling together.


We had a morning seminar with Kalpavrish, an Indian NGO that works in environmental education, conservancy, and wrote the country's National Biodiversity Assessment for the IUCN. Later we were generously invited to presentations from several KV members at a lovely woman's home, where we were fed lots of tea and snacks and learned about the problems associated with large hydropower projects in Northeast India, tree conservation efforts from a member of Pune Tree watch and finally, the safe festivals campaign which helps produce environment and health safe festival materials such as all natural paints for Holi. Walked to lunch and started to really like Pune for its young, smart citizens,good food and creatively protected trees. Now if only we could get rid of the pollution....

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Photos

Meeting with ragpickers association
Students and some women from the association at the University of Pune

Delicious Thali!
Taehwa and Bahareh enjoying a thali lunch of perfection!

Aga Khan Palace
Where Gandhi, his wife and loyal friend were imprisoned.

Vivek and his bike
I got to take a ride in Pune.