Husband’s cancer survival story inspires criminal lawyer to resolve Bellandur’s garbage crisis

By Anuksha Dey

Criminal Lawyer turned environmental activist from Gujarat, Rupal Ralph has dedicated the last five years of her life to improving the lives of people in Bellandur.  Rupal moved to Bengaluru from Gujarat in 2007 and was appalled by the condition of the roads, the garbage black spots and the polluted Bellandur lake. Since 2016, she has played a key role in solid waste management projects, community welfare projects, and environmental conservation projects in the city. “I was born in Gujarat but I have lived for 14 years in Bengaluru. It is my place now, my Karmabhumi,” she says.

Working as a master trainer With BBMP

She currently works as a master trainer for BBMP’s solid waste management initiative in Bellandur where she oversees waste segregation. She is also the area coordinator for Bellandur and in charge of training zonal and ward leaders in BBMP’s citizen participation project, besides heading a group of citizens who oversee waste management. 

Rupal says her responsibility isn’t simply to monitor the work of the pourakarmikas, but also listen to both sides of the story. It is as much her responsibility to monitor if garbage is being collected the right way, besides reporting about illegal dumping and waste collection. She also ensures that there are enough vehicles for the job, and the pourakarmikas are getting their wages on time, among their other grievances.

Helping out during the pandemic

Rupal is more active than ever since the pandemic began. She is helping out families with COVID-19 patients to ensure they have enough supplies. She is also part of a ‘no spitting’ campaign in Bellandur which educates people that spitting on the streets spreads the coronavirus. She is also connecting residents on Harlur Road with farmers to help them sell their products in a safe and hygienic manner. 

Feeding migrant workers during the lockdown

Rupal joined hands with Warriors against Hunger and Sarjapur Migrant Group to provide food for migrant workers during the lockdown. She started a community kitchen that operated out of her home, providing employment to four unemployed immigrants who were unable to return home during the pandemic. She fed over 20,000 migrants in six weeks.  

How it all started

Rupal had always had an interest in social work and had proved herself as the President of Leo Club in college. However, the big change in her life came around 2015 when her husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. That is when she started experimenting with natural products to avoid the toxins and carcinogens found in plastics and other products. The same year, she joined Stonesoup, an ecommerce startup that provides green solutions, and started conducting seminars on zero waste cities and zero waste households. It was also the time when Kasa Mukta Bellandur (KMB) initiated a plastic ban in the area.

Rupal got involved in KMB’s door-to-door campaigns to educate the residents about the dangers of using plastic products as this was a cause close to her heart. She has become a key member of the organisation since. “My husband is a cancer survivor,” she reasons. “When you see your own family member suffering, you don’t want others to go through the same.” 

Being a woman and an activist

Being a woman and an activist was initially difficult. A mother of two, Rupal had to divide her time between household responsibilities and her work. The change from being a criminal lawyer to a grassroots activist was challenging. However, she always had the support of her family. The difficulties eased as she got more used to coordinating with BBMP and police officials. Her network and reputation grew over the next five years. Says she: “Since I started working with Stonesoup, an all-woman organisation, I am surrounded by a lot of support and positive energy, which gave me much confidence.”

Political career

Rupal joined Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP) last February. What interested her about the political outfit was their mandate. “The charter of the party says they will only work for the ward… you cannot stand for the position of an MLA or an MP; it is a citizen movement,” she says. While she claims all political parties have failed Bellandur so far, she believes she can make a difference by being part of a political organisation. “The people who have been working on the ground know what the problems are but no one is listening to them. You need to be part of the system to change it. If you have a force with you, especially a positive force, it will help you.” As an environmental and social activist, Rupal hopes to add transparency to the current system and involve residents in the decision-making process.