Lockdown in Noida: Scrap collectors left at the mercy of volunteers

Meenakshi Sinha | TNN | Apr 30, 2020, 19:20 IST

NOIDA: Local scrap collectors from Sarfabad, Sorkha and sectors 120, 122 etc. are finding it tough to sustain making a living in the absence of the sale of scrap. They are currently able to sell only cardboard since that is sent for recycling within Uttar Pradesh while remaining dry waste, including plastic will be sent for recycling only once the lockdown opens and interstate movement is allowed. These scrap collectors are being helped by a group of volunteers with dry ration and safety gears such as gloves, masks etc.
“In Noida itself, there are at least 1, 500 waste picker families and some of them are also scrap collectors who collect dry waste and scrap door-to-door. They are now stuck without food and job due to the lockdown,” said Ashish Sachdeva from the Green Dream Foundation (GDF), an NGO generating awareness among people, organisations, institutions and government agencies on critical socio-environmental themes.
According to Sachdeva, a big community of these informal scrap collectors is staying in Sarfabad, Barola as well as other slum pockets across the city. “They are only able to sell cardboard as of now which is restricting them from meeting their basic expenses. An average family has only one earning member supporting five others. We are therefore providing help with dry ration, safety gear and also educating these communities on safety measures, usage of masks while collecting scrap and waste,” said Sachdeva.
The GDF has designated passes from the district administration office to carry out the work.