Rags to riches - real life story of a rag picker of Ahmadabad

WE have seen and heard of many rags to riches stories - they become box-office hits. But, in Ahmadabad, there is a woman who has literally become a rags to riches personality. She is 60-year-old and, until 1981, she worked as a paper picker on the city streets. She made Rs 5 per day and, on rainy and cold days, this measly income would also not materialize.
However, those days have become memories to her because today she heads a cleaners' cooperative with 400 members that provide cleaning and housekeeping services to 45 institutions and societies in Ahmadabad. Her company has an annual turnover of Rs 1 crore!
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 19 November 2015.

The credit for this success goes to Elaben Bhatt-founded Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) - it was instrumental in giving shape to Shri Saundarya Safai Utkarsh Mahila Sewa Sahkari Mandali Ltd (SSSUMSSML). It has 40 women who offer commercial cleaning services.
Their first customer was the National Institute of Design followed by Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
They have also offered services during Vibrant Gujarat summits in the past.
Once these women used to go about with gunny bags collecting wastes - today those gunny collection bags have been replaced with modern equipment like road cleaners, vacuum cleaners, high-jet pressure, micro-fibre mops, floor cleaners, carpet shampooing machines, scrubbers and extractors.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Once again spurious liquor has left at least 25 persons dead and another10 are battling for their lives in Mumbai. The terrible incident happened in a den in the Laxminagar slum area in Malwani. Police have arrested 3 accused in the case.
This has been reported in hindustantimes.com dated 19 June 2015.

The dead included autorickshaw drivers, rag pickers and scrap collectors between the ages of 30 and 40. It seems most of them had consumed liquor the previous night, while some had it in the morning. The effects began to show within a few hours of consumption and began with vomiting.
The Malwani police are collecting information and necessary evidence in the case.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry into the case and has directed that a report be submitted within two days.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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