Pune Waste Picker’s Exemplary Act: Returns Bag With Rs 10 Lakh Found on Street in Sadashiv Peth

Pune, 21st November 2025: In a heartwarming display of integrity, a waste picker associated with Swachh Pune handed back a bag containing ₹10 lakh in cash after discovering it abandoned on a roadside in Sadashiv Peth on Wednesday morning.

Anju Mane, who has been serving the area as a sanitation worker for nearly two decades, found the bag between 8 am and 9 am while transferring waste collected during her everyday door-to-door rounds. Spotting the unattended bag near the road, she initially assumed it contained medical supplies—something commonly found in the locality—and kept it aside at the feeder point for safety.

However, when the contents were checked, the bag was found to contain not only medicines but a substantial bundle of cash. Drawing on her long association with the community, Mane began reaching out to residents to trace the owner.

Soon after, she noticed a local resident anxiously searching for something. Sensing his distress, she approached him, offered him water, and confirmed that the missing bag belonged to him. After verifying the details, Mane returned the bag with the full amount untouched.

Impressed by her honesty, residents of Sadashiv Peth organised a small felicitation on the spot, presenting Mane with a sari and a cash token of appreciation.

The incident has drawn attention to the deep trust built over the years between the Swachh waste collection staff and Pune’s citizens. Over 4,000 waste pickers under Swachh provide daily collection services to nearly 40 lakh people in the city—an effort strengthened by acts of integrity like Mane’s, residents said.