A post claiming that people receive Rs. 5 for returning an empty water bottle in Ayodhya is being widely shared across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
The archived version of this post can be found here.
Claim: People receive Rs.5 for returning an empty water bottle in Ayodhya.
Fact: The Kabadiwala, in partnership with Ayodhya Nagar Nigam to promote a litter-free Ayodhya, has implemented a program known as the Deposit Refund System (DRS). Under this initiative, consumers are required to pay an additional Rs. 5 as a deposit when purchasing items like beverages and chip packets, which come with QR codes. Upon returning these empty containers with QR codes to a designated collection point, The Kabadiwala executives will scan the QR codes on the empty bottles or packets and refund the consumers their deposit. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To check the veracity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. During this search, we found a post on X(Twitter) by The Kabadiwala. According to this post, The Kabadiwala along with the Nagar Nigam Ayodhya to keep Ayodhya Clean had started a scheme, if people return the empty bottle at the refund center of The Kabadiwala they will get their ₹5 deposit back.
To know more about this, we checked The Kabadiwala website. According to the information available on their website, The Kabadiwala, in collaboration with Ayodhya Nagar Nigam to reduce plastic waste in Ayodhya and make it litter-free, has introduced an initiative called the Deposit Refund System (DRS). The Deposit Refund System promotes recycling by imposing a refundable deposit of Rs. 5 on beverage containers such as plastic bottles and chip packets purchased by consumers. This means that consumers need to pay an additional Rs. 5 on the original price of these products with QR codes. Upon returning these empty packets or bottles with QR codes to a collection point, The Kabadiwala executives will scan the empty bottles or packets’ QR codes and reimburse consumers their deposit.
A news report regarding the segregation and recycling of dry waste by The Kabadiwala in Ayodhya can be seen here. According to this report, Prime Minister Modi mentioned this Bhopal-based startup’s work in the 97th episode of his radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
To sum it up, people do not receive Rs. 5 upon returning an empty bottle; instead, they will be refunded the deposit or the additional money paid on the original price.
