Nestlé India has expanded its green mission in India’s hill stations. Just ahead of World Earth Day, the company strengthened Project Hilldaari in the scenic towns of Palampur and Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh.
Project Hilldaari is a joint effort with PLAN Foundation and technical partner Recity India. It focuses on sustainable, community-based waste management. Over the last five years, it has helped set up cleaner systems in nine popular tourist spots including Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Munnar, and Panchgani.
Palampur’s Clean-Up Success
Palampur joined the initiative in October 2023 and has quickly turned into a model city for waste handling. The project now covers 12,900 households and 2,000 commercial properties. Each year, the town hosts nearly 8 lakh tourists.
Within a short span, Palampur achieved 82% segregation of waste at source and 85% collection coverage. The project has also provided training to 155 waste workers, helping build a cleaner city while improving livelihoods.
Dalhousie Shows the Way
Dalhousie began its journey with Hilldaari in June 2020. Since then, more than 1,219 metric tonnes of waste have been diverted from landfills. The city also boasts an 82% source segregation rate. The project has involved 20 local waste workers, offering them training and support to work with dignity and efficiency.
Five Years. Nine Cities. One Goal.
Over the past five years, Project Hilldaari has expanded to nine Indian cities, including Mahabaleshwar, Junagarh, and Ponda. Across all locations, the project has helped divert close to 47,000 metric tonnes of waste from landfills.
Currently, it maintains around 81% segregation at source, spanning across 64,000 residential and commercial waste points. Importantly, nearly 1,650 waste workers have been trained and supported across these locations.
Project Hilldaari proves that sustainable waste management is possible when citizens, institutions, and organisations come together. With the hills being some of the most ecologically fragile zones, the success of this project shows how community-based models can protect nature while improving urban life.
