Mayapur Clean & Green Successfully Addressing E-Waste Management

Murari Mohini Devi Dasi and some of her team cleaning the streets of Mayapur.

Mayapur Clean & Green has expanded its service to address one of the most dangerous kinds of waste for one’s health and the environment: electronic or e-waste, including phones, computers, cables, earphones, refrigerators, batteries, AC units, and similar items.

Mayapur Clean & Green is an initiative formed by Murari Mohini Devi Dasi to fulfill the need for an effective garbage management system in Mayapur. For the last two years, she has been working with her team, which includes Marvi, Vrajajanaranjana Das, Bhakta Tarak, Bhakta Kali-Shankar, Bhakta Manoranjana, Bhakta Munna, Amal Das to address this growing problem. 

Murari Mohini Devi Dasi was born into a simple and loving family in Oruro, Bolivia. She grew up in an environment that was respectful and grateful to Mother Nature, especially Mother Earth, or Pachamama as the indigenous people call her in Bolivia. She has lived with part of her family in Mayapur since December 2018.

Her service, Mayapur Clean & Green, carries out continuous collection campaigns of different kinds of e-waste in the holy dham. They have managed to recover thousands of batteries and approximately 500 kg of obsolete items, which are then sent to Hulladek Recycling in Kolkata. The Central Pollution Control Board licenses Hulladek to act as a Producer Responsibility Organization, which helps to facilitate the various producer organizations to meet their EPR obligations as prescribed under the law. HULLADEK then provides a certificate of recycling to Mayapur Clean & Green to validate the recycling process.

Murari Mohini shared, “My biggest inspiration is the deep conviction that this sacred place of Sri Navadvip Mandala is part of the spiritual world of Goloka Vrindavana. The trees, the water, the cows, and the air in this blessed place do not belong to the ordinary material world. Sri Mayapur Dham is completely spiritual, and it is our duty to preserve it.”

She revealed how waste management, especially e-waste management, is crucial in contemporary times when so many electronic gadgets are discarded. She said, “When these are unwanted, most of the population does not know how to dispose of them properly. Many throw them anywhere, others mix them with general garbage, and others sell them to people who use open-air burning and acid baths to recover valuable materials from the electronic components. This dangerous process releases toxic materials into the environment.”

She continued, “Electronic waste contains toxic components that are not biodegradable. They are dangerous to human health and the environment, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polybrominated flame retardants, barium, and lithium. They pollute the soil, the air, water, food, etc. Some of the harmful health effects of these pollutants on humans include brain, heart, liver, kidney, and skeletal system damage.”

In addition to e-waste management, Mayapur Clean & Green performs a daily cleaning service for Sri Mayapur Dham, including the holy pilgrimage sites and the area’s entrances to the Ganges and Jalangi Rivers. They also help in the care of green spaces, as well as in the cultivation and planting of trees. Additionally, Mayapur Clean & Green carries out different campaigns and workshops to educate children and the community about sustainable means to protect nature and recycle all kinds of waste.

Regarding their future plans, Murari Mohini said, “In the short term, we want to expand our services, at least triple them. In the long term, by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, if He so desires, we want to set up and be part of an ideal village of cooperation called ‘Mayapur Clean & Green Village’ based on the principles of love, service, respect, and gratitude to the Holy Dham.” She continued, “Regarding the resources, we need to cover a budget of 60 thousand rupees per month. We also need a storage room for keeping all the collected e-waste.”

“Throughout these last two years, we have received the help of approximately 70 people and/or families who have donated at least once to finance the payment of the workers or to buy or repair our rickshaws, as well as to create our small operations center. We have seven devotees and/or families who help us monthly with a figure of 500 and 1000 rupees.”

Murari further said, “At the beginning of 2023, we began to receive the support of our spiritual brother, HG Sarvajaya Madhava Das, who through JPS Fund Divine, on behalf of our Guru Maharaja HH Jayapataka Swami, helps us with 25 thousand rupees.”

“As a result of our educational activities with the local population, we have achieved the cooperation of approximately 75 local families who have understood the need to take care of the Holy Dham and contribute a symbolic sum between 30-100 rupees a month to cover part of the service for the collection of their waste.”

Mayapur Clean & Green is supported by the blessings and guidance of many notable devotees, including HH Jayapataka Swami, HH Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami, HG Mahatma Das Prabhu, HG Maha Varaha Das, HG Sarvajaya Madhava Das, and senior devotees like HG Sarvadrik Das, HG Sudevi DD, HG Subhangi DD, HG Ramesta Das, HG Anuttama Dasa, HG Advaita Chandra Das, Radha Sundari DD, HG Sarva Bhouma Das, HG Anadi Krishna Das, HG Gandhari DD, HG Pancaratna Das, HG Atitaguna DD, and HG Janmashtami Das.

If you want to personally connect with Clean & Green Mayapur for any voluntary service, send them a WhatsApp or Telegram message at +919831736326. Or email them at mayapur.clean.and.green@gmail.com.