After successfully preventing the opening of a liquor shop in their housing complex, a group of women from Panvel’s Enkay Heritage Cooperative Housing Society have now turned their attention to environmental causes. The women, extending the collective power of ‘Naari Shakti,’ plan to begin by collecting e-waste, including used electric bulbs and lithium batteries, in a dedicated red bin within their society.
The decision was made on Sunday during a thanksgiving event, where the society members honored social activist B N Kumar, convenor of the Alert Citizens Team (ACT), for his role in campaigning against the liquor shop. Kumar, who also heads the environmental NGO NatConnect Foundation, encouraged the society to channel their newfound energy toward environmental initiatives. He outlined NatConnect’s recent campaign, ‘Beware of Lithium Monster,’ launched in line with International e-Waste Day on October 14.
The society members quickly embraced the idea of segregating e-waste from solid waste, according to Anurag Shukla, chairman of the society. The collected e-waste will be handed over to a government-certified recycler to ensure proper disposal, Kumar explained.
Reflecting on their earlier success, society general secretary Naresh Gaikwad attributed the victory against the liquor shop to the unity of the members, especially the women’s peaceful protest. The members also expressed their gratitude to Raigad District Collector Kishan N Jawale for taking their concerns seriously and ultimately rejecting the liquor shop’s license.