Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore Municipal Corporation has employed around 700 city's garbage pickers on its trenching ground giving them hope for the future.
A few years ago, the municipal corporation's decision of door-to-door garbage collection resulted in a livelihood crisis for the city's garbage pickers as there was no garbage to pick on the streets.
"Earlier, I used to pick garbage from the roads, sidewalks, streets. I was barely making Rs 150 per day. Now, since I am working here I am earning Rs 400 per day. We also have a provident fund facility here and health insurance for the family members. We are two in the family and I am the only earning member," Sangeeta, a worker on the trenching ground, said.
Another worker, Sonu Nandle, recounted how she earlier had to skip meals in order to make some money and the unhygienic way of life that she was forced to lead.
"It was very tough for us earlier. We would carry a lot of weight around on our shoulders. We could not even have food on time. Now, it is all organised. We are having food on time. The company provides a bus that comes to our colony and picks us up and drops also. I am earning Rs 400 per day here," Nandle told ANI.
Radha Goyal, one of the workers, said things have become easy since she joined working here. "I was picking garbages on the streets before I was employed here. We had to go out, be it rains, summer, or winter. Here, things are easy, The company provides us hand gloves, face masks, and head cover. We also have a lot of facilities here," Goyal said.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Pratibha Pal told ANI that the credit for the initiative goes to Swachh Bharat Urban Mission, which aims is skill rag pickers so that they can work in the organised sector.
"700 workers have been given work on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model. Gujarat-based company 'Nepra' has been given the task of waste segregation. Apart from this, 300 people have been employed in processing compost manure," Pal said.
Out of 700, Nepra has 400 workers while the rest 300 have been solely employed by the Municipal corporation.
"Earlier, they used to earn around Rs 150 per day. Now they earn Rs 400 per day. And their work timing is fixed from 10 am to 5 pm. Their lifestyles have also improved," Pal added.
