Project Hilldaari, supported by Nestlé India and implemented by PLAN Foundation and technical partner Recity India, has expanded its footprint to Darjeeling in West Bengal. The project aims to develop inclusive, contextualized, and resilient models for solid and plastic waste management in select tourist cities in India. The initiative is currently operational in Mussoorie, Mahabaleshwar, Ponda, Dalhousie, and Munnar.
Project Hilldaari has diverted over 27,000 MT of waste from landfills through source segregation, achieving 80% of source segregation across over 20,000 residential and commercial waste collection points. The initiative is working towards professionalizing waste workers towards segregation of waste at source through a multi-collaborative approach with municipal councils, citizens, contractors, waste workers, and influencers. Project Hilldaari aims to establish Darjeeling as one of the cleanest tourist cities in India through positive behavior change and engaging waste workers with local administration support.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sanjay Khajuria, Director, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Nestlé India said, “We are delighted to begin this journey in Darjeeling. We are confident that through collective participation of local bodies, citizens, tourists, and civil societies, we will be able to positively contribute to the idea of a waste-free future.”
