Since 1995, Ashok has dedicated his career to waste management. When he returned to Mussoorie as Operations Manager in 2017, overseeing all 13 wards, the situation was alarming. Large communal dustbins overflowed, attracting monkeys that attacked senior citizens and school children. The town's steep, narrow lanes made systematic collection nearly impossible. 

"In plain areas, door-to-door collection is easy with vehicles sufficient enough to reach everywhere," Ashok explains. "But Mussoorie is different. Our vehicles cannot access many areas." Ashok explained how workers in hilly terrain can only manage up to 50 households per day as compared to 100- 200 households in flatlands. Overtime, through his ground experience and consultation with seniors, Ashok took his suggestions to the municipal corporation. Advocating for adequate human-power for waste collection in the town, he began working with a group of 25 sanitation workers, now scaled to a total of 180 workers, enabling comprehensive solid waste collection across homes, hotels, and restaurants in Mussoorie. 

Ashok's most significant achievement is his organization’s workforce of which 80% are women, many working outside their homes for the first time. "Our objective wasn't just cleaning Mussoorie, it was providing employment opportunities," he states. But employment wasn't enough. Ashok initiated the setting of monthly health camps in partnership Government hospitals and NGOs, providing confidential medical consultations for menstrual hygiene, providing safety equipment during work hours, paid leave, and immediate relief coverage.  

The transformation is evident. Mussoorie has achieved the number one rank among all municipalities in Uttarakhand in the recent Swachh Survekshan 2025 awards. Ashok aims higher, confidently explaining how he wants Mussoorie to rank number one nationally. For Ashok Kumar, overseeing waste management in Mussoorie, the issue isn't just about logistical work. For him, waste management in a hilly town is about conquering terrain, empowering communities, and proving that even India's busiest hill stations such as Mussoorie can achieve sanitation excellence. 

After three decades, Ashok Kumar has proven that with proper infrastructure, workforce investment, and employee well-being,  the queen of hills- Mussoorie can be managed and kept clean and green. 

Find more about Ashok’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/keen.mussoorie?igsh=MXNncmUyb2NpcmVuMw==