PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
Municipal Corporation of Dehradun’s sanitation workers continue to sweat it out, while Dehradun grapples with summer heat, with the mercury hovering around 40 degrees Celsius. From sweeping roads to collecting and disposing of waste, these workers spend long hours outdoors, often without regular holidays. And thanks to them, the city remains clean.
Everyone knows the vital role these workers play in maintaining hygiene across the city. Even a day’s disruption in waste collection from households and public areas leads to prompt complaints from residents and the civic authorities face flakddn for its ‘inefficiency’.
Sharing his experience, a sanitation worker Rajesh stated that he starts work at 6 AM and continues cleaning roads and collecting garbage until around 11 AM. His first shift ends at noon, while the second shift runs from 2 PM to 3 PM. “It means we spend the whole day working under the scorching sun. Yet, we face apathy from the civic body as far as the facilities we deserve are concerned. They do not bother whether we are sick or injured. We are perhaps the most ill-cared lot,” he rued.
Queried on their growing grievances, the chief municipal health officer Dr Anand Shukla said that sanitation workers are regular employees who receive salaries on time and are covered under various welfare schemes. “They are provided with medical facilities, insurance coverage and benefits under the government programmes such as Ayushman Bharat. Additional support is also extended during emergencies, disasters and adverse weather conditions,” he claimed.
He further stated that every sanitation worker is assigned a specific area and workload and their duties are fixed as per established rules and regulations. “The Municipal Corporation ensures that all welfare measures and benefits available to sanitation workers are provided in accordance with the prescribed guidelines,” he said.
