Bright Side Stories: How An IAS Officer Turned Discarded Clothes At Varanasi Ghats Into 1 Lakh Eco-Friendly Bags

In the ancient city of Varanasi, where the timeless waters of the Ganga draw millions of pilgrims each year, heaps of discarded clothes left at the ghats had long posed a daunting challenge. Not only did these mounds of fabric clog the riverfront, but they also threatened local wildlife that risked ingesting the waste. But where most saw a problem, IAS officer Akshat Verma saw potential. He turned this environmental hazard into a beacon of sustainability.“Why not make bags from them?” he proposed, transforming the dilemma into an eco-friendly opportunity.

Teaming up with the Hope Welfare Foundation, a youth-driven NGO from Benaras, Verma launched a remarkable project in December 2023. The NGO's 'Green Army'-a collective of determined rural women-took charge of converting heaps of waste clothes into sturdy cloth bags. 

What began as a modest idea blossomed into a full-fledged movement. ,More than 1 lakh eco-friendly bags were handcrafted and distributed free of cost to local shopkeepers and residents, offering a dignified alternative to plastic.

The initiative not only decluttered the ghats but also empowered over 50 rural women by giving them sustainable livelihoods. At the same time, it stemmed the flood of textile waste destined for landfills, turning an environmental problem into a symbol of hope.

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