Participatory Social Mapping - A Learning Project of DESWAM implementation

Beedi Workers Colony (BWC) is a group of 600 houses constructed by Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation Limited (RGRHCL), Government of Karnataka for economically weaker section of people who are engaged in Beedi making business.

The colony is situated in Kengeri, a peri-urban area in southwest direction about 25 km from the Bangalore city centre.

CDD-BORDA in association with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), RGRHCL and Beedi Workers Association (BWA) has implemented a Decentralised Wastewater Treatment System (DEWATS) for 120 houses in the year 2003/04.
While the liquid waste out of these houses are taken care of by the DEWATS unit, solid waste generated in the colony has been an issue.  Informal interaction with the residents revealed that their priority needs were on  adequate drinking  water supply, access to toilets and drainage but efforts to safe disposal of solid wastes were too less or non-existent at all. The local authorities too have paid very little attention.

Beedi Workers Association consulted CDD Society and expressed their concern to improve the hygienic situation of the locality. Internal meeting among the CDD team was held and it was thought that a community based and managed approach was the best solution for Solid waste management in Beedi Worker Colony. Therefore, Decentralised Solid Waste Management (DESWAM) approach would be the appropriate approach towards sustainable solid waste management.
Towards this, the first effort was to obtain an authentic data about household details, existing solid waste management practices, quantities and characteristics. Therefore, participatory mapping was chosen as a methodology to enumerate data from residents themselves.
Participatory mapping is a method through which the community’s perspective of the waste situation is depicted. Unlike other data gathering methods, the participatory mapping process will initiate the active involvement of community starting from the assessment of the situation to planning, implementing and monitoring the DESWAM project.

Participatory Mapping Process
In consultation with the BWA, it was decided that social mapping should be conducted to generate data regarding demographic information and existing infrastructure facilities with specific reference to water and solid waste.
The mapping exercise was conducted on the 20^th July 2011. Residents of Beedi Workers Colony from the selected two blocks (majority were women) participated in the mapping process.

The participatory mapping process began with the introduction of residents to the facilitating team, followed by stating the purpose of social mapping and participant’s role in this process by a CDD facilitator. Conversations during the development of the maps and accompanying discussions gave insights into the environment and quality of participation. It also manifested that community members have a strong sense of their collective identity as residents of that place. The map included houses and other buildings in the community, roads and paths, water taps, water tanks, school, Anganwadi and the location, where different groups live in the community, etc.
By the time of completion, residents gained an idea of how their locality looks like and it instilled a sense of fulfillment and pride on the participants.

Outcome of Social Mapping

1. Steps towards establishing rapport with the residents of the locality by explaining the purpose of the project and gaining  preliminary understanding of  their concerns

2. Participants were motivated to be part of the planning process by being involved in  mapping  their locality, locating each household , house number, collection of specific household-level information relevant to mobilize the community to participate in solid waste management in the locality.

3. Collected socio-economic information from households like total number of persons in the family, male and female population, population below 5 years age, female and male literates, sources of livelihood, income of household etc.

4. Identification of a few active/interested participants who can be nurtured to take the lead in the DESWAM project.

5. Confidence level among the residents to take forward the effort in effective and sustainable solid waste management.