Filth, dirt, stinks, wounds, cuts, bites, toxins, fear and harassment. This is the plight of over 3lakh people working in the most inhumane conditions, in and around Delhi. Their presence seems oblivious to most of us and their ‘matters’ don’t matter to us. Their day starts with sifting through heaps of garbage and ends with a few bucks they earn from selling it- yes, they are, according to us, the most contaminated chunk of people- the RAGPICKERS.
This informal sector, which is yet to gain legal recognition, wipes the city off 20-40% of its solid waste (statistics by All India Kabadi Mazdoor Mahasangh) and keeps the ‘Clean Delhi, Green Delhi’ slogan alive.
Recently they were up in arms against the MCD for allowing private waste collector agencies in their domain. On August 8, they rallied in Delhi shouting slogans against the MCD. They walked to the MCD office with a memo listing their demands including their right to participate in employment schemes, gain legal status and guarantee social security and safety precautions. This battle is not new. Last year also they showed their discontent by demonstrating on the World Environment Day.
Now, what exactly is bothering them is the fact that their sole source of income would be taken away and they would no more have the exclusive rights on the garbage, which they until now enjoyed. Even though the contract between MCD and DWM (Delhi Waste Management) says that private companies should hire ragpickers working in the area, what is the guarantee? Those already under the ambit of private contractors allege that they are forced to sell the segregated matter at the rate the private players decide with no scope of bargain. Moreover, if they try to negotiate the rates, they lose their job.
Also, as per MCD’s agreement with DWM, signed for a period of 9years, the latter has to segregate only 20% of the waste matter, that too starting from the penultimate year. This apart from increasing the dumping of the waste would reduce the work of the ragpickers and hence affect their income. Further, statistics show that 75% of the rag pickers from the privatized zones have lost 50% of their income.
So much so for keeping the city clean?
These ragpickers who save the MCD 6-8 lakhs per day need to be treated with more respect.
Near the huge garbage areas, we mostly see little children working painstakingly for hours, as if in search of gold coins. But this is not a little matter. The government must take steps to save their childhood; otherwise, we would be ignoring a vast section of our society. If this profession is legalized then I think the child labour law would be applicable which prohibits children below the age of 14 from working in hazardous places. Furthermore, steps could be taken to provide them education and a better lifestyle.
Whatever be the final decision, I suppose it’s high time we pay back lakhs of informal ‘employees’ who dig into garbage everyday to keep our city clean and green.
Maybe, it’s time to legalize this technically illegal profession.
