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The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Fed up of 75 yrs of empty promises, Mainpuri villagers rebuild road on their own, and ban politicians
Ask anyone how the road came about. Pat comes the response: 'When we got tired of pleading for development, we joined forces and built a road.' It is another thing altogether that this drive was borne out of desperation and sheer frustration with netas and authorities alike for not coming forward to take care of the dirt track connecting the village to the main road in the last seven decades. Agra: Where there's a will, there is a road. Residents of Majra Rajpur village in Uttar Pradesh Mainpuri district can proudly claim to have themselves raised funds and relaid a road on their own. For decades, the 200 meter long and about 8 feet wide road of Majra Rajpur village, linking the village to the main Elabans Road, was in a dilapidated condition. Though there are other roads, they pass through Elabans village and are a lot longer, often congested. As soon as it rained, the road would get completely closed due to mud and waterlogging. Children faced trouble going to schools in the city and so did the people while taking patients to the hospital in Mainpuri. Villagers say that they demanded road construction from local leaders and officials during the tenure of all three governments of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and BJP, but no one paid attention. Located in Gram Panchayat Elabans under the Kishni development block, the village has a large number of Brahmin families as local residents. Ajay Mishra, a local resident, said that the villagers had submitted memorandums to the former MLAs as well as the incumbent Mainpuri MLA Brijesh Katheria for the construction of the road under the Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojna but to no avail. The demand was also placed several times in the office of Dimple Yadav, the MP elected from Mainpuri. From the panchayat level to the district panchayat, the Block Development Officer (BDO), the tehsildar to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), no assurances were received. As soon as the elections came, all the leaders would promise to build the road only to disappear, the villagers recalled. Frustrated, the villagers decided that there was no point in waiting endlessly for the administration to build their road. About 20 youths and elders of the village raised Rs 70,000 with mutual cooperation. Broken bricks were laid for the road. The villagers picked up spades and started the work. Within a few days, a 200 meter roughly built brick road was completed and is now almost ready to link the village to the main road. 'We pleaded with the leaders and officials so many times that we began to feel ashamed of ourselves. So it was decided that the villagers will build the road on our own, and once it was built, no politicians will be allowed to enter the village through that road to ask for votes in the next elections,' Ajay, a villager, said. Another Annu Mishra said that there were about 250 residents and only 90 voters in the village. 'Everyone casts his or her vote, but still we have to struggle for even the basic necessities. We built this road out of self-respect. It is not just a brick road, it means that we don't have to beg in front of anyone now,' she asserted. Explaining the situation, Naresh Parmar, the representative of the village pradhan, said that a proposal was sent for the construction of a 200 m long concrete road but the village panchayat does not have funds. The road, he said, could only be built with funds from the development block or the Zila Panchayat. When contacted, officials of Mainpuri district expressed ignorance about this incident. Gopal Sharma, SDM Kishni, said that he would visit the village and ask the villagers about their problems. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Uprising in Pakistan, hope in Agra's 'mini Balochistan' where families still dream of a freed homeland
Business Standard
05-06-2025
- General
- Business Standard
From Cartons to Community Parks: Mumbai Launches Citywide Recycling Relay on World Environment Day
NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 5: To mark World Environment Day, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Rotary Club of Bombay Mid City, and Tetra Pak India have joined forces to launch a citywide sustainability campaign--the Carton Recycling Relay--designed to turn used beverage cartons into durable benches for Mumbai's public parks. In its first phase, the initiative aims to collect 2.5 lakh used cartons from across the city, which will be recycled into 25 garden benches to be installed in selected public parks. This collaborative effort brings to life the principles of recycling, circular economy, and community participation, with citizens at the heart of the transformation. "This is a brilliant example of how partnerships can bring sustainability into public spaces, and how the public can actively participate in this transformation," said Jeetendra V. Pardeshi, Superintendent of the Gardens and Tree Office, BMC. "We're not just recycling--we're creating something useful and lasting for the community. This initiative represents the kind of smart, sustainable thinking our city needs." To kick off the campaign, a set of benches made entirely from recycled cartons were donated to Patwardhan Park, Bandra, a popular green space in Mumbai. The event was attended by Mr. Dinesh Pallewad, Assistant Commissioner, Ms. Swapna Mhatre, Ex Corporator, Mr. Dnyandev Mundhe, Dy. Supdt. of Gardens Zone 3, Mr. Kamlesh Kholiya, Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak South Asia; Ajay Mishra, Rotary President; and Ms Monisha Narke, Founder, RUR Greenlife. "At Tetra Pak, we believe that sustainability is a shared responsibility," added Kamlesh Kholiya, Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak South Asia. "The Carton Recycling Relay turns citizens into changemakers. By transforming used cartons into public assets, we're fostering circularity and strengthening community engagement." A life-size, carton-shaped collection bin will now travel across prominent locations in the city, encouraging schools, housing societies, businesses, and individuals to deposit their used beverage cartons. More than 50 drop-off points are already available across Reliance Retail and Shakari Bhandar stores across Mumbai up to make participation easy and accessible for all. Over the next few weeks, the relay will travel across key Mumbai locations, mobilizing schools, RWAs, and workplaces. As the city works toward the 2.5 lakh carton target, 22 more benches will be created and donated--transforming waste into symbols of community action and environmental stewardship. "Sustainability is one of the 7 pillars of Rotary thrust area and always work around related to protection of environment. We are working with MCGM and corporate to set up street furniture made from recycled waste for awareness since long time. We are happy to see that Tetra Pak came forward to support the cause and create awareness. We are glad to work as bridges between benefactor and donor," added Ajay Mishra, President, Rotary. The initiative is being implemented on-ground by RUR Greenlife, a long-standing Tetra Pak partner known for its work in waste management and citizen-led recycling. Media outreach is being supported by Free Press Journal. This campaign is part of a program called 'Go Green with Tetra Pak' launched in 2010 by Tetra Pak, in collaboration with Reliance Retail and RUR Greenlife. The program encourages Mumbaikars to drop off their used beverage cartons at over 60 Reliance Smart and Sahakari Bhandar outlets, and over 100 other drop-off points across Mumbai. These cartons are then recycled into useful items like desks & garden benches and donated back to the society. Tetra Pak cartons are paper-based, recyclable, and increasingly being recycled through a robust ecosystem nurtured by Tetra Pak over the last 20 years, working closely with various stakeholders such as urban local governments, NGOs, brand owners, academia, and consumers. A complete list of carton deposit points is available here. Tetra Pak is a global leader in food processing and packaging solutions, ensuring safe and nutritious food reaches millions in over 160 countries. With a strong commitment to sustainability, the company continually innovates to protect food, people, and the planet through impactful community programs and advanced recycling initiatives. With over 24,000 employees worldwide, Tetra Pak remains dedicated to making food safe and available, everywhere, while upholding its promise to protect what's good: food, people, and the planet. More information about Tetra Pak is available at
