Sanitation workers trying to open a blocked sewer line in Raghubir Nagar of west Delhi.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
For 30-year-old Akash, a second-generation sanitation worker, nothing has changed in all these years except getting safety gear and a few machines to clear the sewer lines. Like his father, he too has to enter sewer lines despite courts, human rights activists, and civil society members repeatedly asking authorities to use machines to repair the sewer lines.
But Mr. Akash, a Dalit worker, wants more than equipment and machines: a permanent job.
“Though the authorities provide machines and equipment like safety belts, gloves, shoes, masks, helmets, and torches. Still, we can’t escape from getting down into the sewer lines, which are at times more than 3 feet deep,” Mr. Akash complains.
“Sometimes we struggle to breathe. Our eyes burn, but now, we are used to it. What we need is dignity in our job. It can be achieved if our jobs get permanent and we start receiving better pay and all benefits,” he adds.
Mr. Akash, who works in Chirag Delhi in south Delhi, is trying to get a sanitation worker job for his younger brother. His father has died from ailments.
He remains excited for the February 5 Delhi Assembly election. “Thousands of migrants and contractual workers are in Delhi. But the difference is we are from a lower caste. For us, there is only one thing – hope,” he explains.
Most of the people who work in sanitation are Dalits.
Rohit Kumar, 29, a sanitation worker from the same area, has a similar concern – a permanent job. “If we were made permanent employees, our medical bills would be cashless, and we would receive a provident fund.”
Another worker, Amit, 28, who has been working as a sanitation worker since the age of 17, complains, “We’re not even classified as workers. We neither have an ID card nor an appointment letter. When we enter posh societies, we’re generally mistreated and misbehaved due to lack of proof. Can’t we expect even documents?”
Most private sanitation workers are hired by a contractor, and their jobs remain temporary. At times, a new contractor comes with a new team.
Many workers say unions like Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) have helped them voice their concerns.
Ashok Kumar, joint secretary at DASAM, says, “Those working in sanitation always remain insecure in their jobs. They have been working on contracts for years. They do the most important work — take care for the environment, sewerage and garbage. Shouldn’t they be treated equally? Are they mistreated owing to their caste?”
“Sadly, even in the reserved constituencies, which are 12 in Delhi, the plights of sanitation workers remain unheard,” he adds.
Published – February 04, 2025 08:55 pm IST