Some time ago, industrialist
Ratan Tata chanced on a series of disturbing pictures of Mumbai’s sanitation workers – the invisible people who spend their lives navigating the city’s waste — taken by photojournalist Sudharak Olwe. Rather than leave it hanging as passing sentiment, Tata initiated an ambitious project to clean up the lives of the cleaners.
Tata Trusts’ Mission Garima (dignity) seeks to promote safe and humane working conditions for the 40,000-odd workers who dive into the city’s sewers, sweep the streets and work in garbage dumps. The project, in partnership with BMC, also hopes to shake off old mindsets and sensitize the various stakeholders on how waste should be everyone’s collective concern.
The report addresses the larger issues — such as that 40% of the city is not connected to sewer lines — as well as details the quality of gloves and masks worn by those who have to negotiate the underbelly of the metropolis.
“Most of the workers suffer from job-related respiratory and skin ailments and have limited access to affordable health care. Many die before they can avail of pension,” says
Seema Redkar, a former BMC employee now with Tata Trusts. “Majority of them belong to the scheduled castes.” The project has launched a health plan at concessional rates.
Last year, Tata Trusts organised an exhibition of waste-related products and technologies directed at those who are end-users. Over 400 workers and 20 union representatives attended it. Many senior BMC engineers were not even aware of some of the advanced products available in the market–like the small cleaning vehicles that can enter narrow, inaccessible lanes. The project team also organised a competition among workers to come up with designs for brooms and other products, based on their own ergonomic requirements. Rajas Shelke, a municipal worker who supervises 43 sweepers in F (north), says, “Our biggest problem is the quality of supplies. For example, the raincoats tear within a few days and the brooms fall apart.”
The project takes a holistic approach to tackle a looming issues — waste management. How would a fish eater feel when she finds out that 25% of the city’s sewage goes untreated into the sea? Or, would a builder have any idea that the construction debris choking a sewage pipe could cost a poor man his life?
The approach thus attempts to tackle not just the conservancy workers, but also the wider social fabric. A series of outreach programs aim to engage the people of Mumbai – to create awareness about the hardships this invisible force endures; and combat apathy towards basic waste management practices such as segregation at source. The simple act of segregating wet waste at home, which most housing societies are still resisting, could reduce Mumbai’s garbage by half and improve everyone’s collective life.
“These are people on the lowest rung and yet they are indispensable,” says Redkar. “They need to be treated with respect. There is also the need to change their self-image. For example, we decided to empower the children of sanitation workers by animation films with slogans like: ‘My father may not be a soldier, but he is protecting the city!’” Many lose their fathers young. They also tend to follow the livelihood of their parents.
After completing a model ward, Tata Trusts aim to give periodical support to BMC and establish linkages with government departments and other agencies. The idea is to ensure sustainability and replicate this in other wards and other cities if needed, where the BMC can act as a knowledge partner.
“These are the people who are doing the bravest work to make our lives better and keep our city disease-free,” says Olwe, whose photographs of the subhuman state of sanitation workers have won several awards. “Every single person should have the kind of sensitivity that Mr Tata has shown. That is the only way things will change.”
