KOCHI: With the South-West monsoon well on its way in the district and Covid-19 cases continuing to soar, the Kochi Corporation, which has been receiving flak for failing to resolve the issue of water-logging in various parts of the city, has its work cut out. In between tackling the pandemic while preparing to avert a possible flood-like situation, the cleaning and sanitation workers employed by the civic body are spread thin. 

Though there have been no reports of infection clusters among the sanitation staff in Kochi like in Thiruvananthapuram, the civic body, in an attempt to cover all bases, is mulling over a proposal to conduct mass antigen testing among its workers.

“The Mayor thinks that sanitation staff should at least undergo an antigen test. The proposal is being considered seriously and the paperwork is currently being processed. The announcement is expected soon. No concerning virus spread has been identified among workers till date but that is because tests haven’t been conducted among them,” said P M Harris, chairman of Public Works Standing Committee. 

According to him, the corporation is keen on carrying out precautionary measures. Apart from undertaking regular and annual works like waste collection, monsoon cleaning and disinfection drives, the approximately 1,200 sanitation workers of the Kochi Corporation are now burdened with risky and arduous task of serving in various Covid treatment and quarantine centres thereby making them more susceptible to the virus. 

“The unfortunate thing is that I have observed many workers do not wear proper gear like gumboots and gloves while on duty. This have been the case even before the pandemic. Now, almost all workers have been wearing masks but we are getting reports from residents’ associations that some still don’t use gloves. Workers who are not deployed in Covid centres may think they are not at risk but what they don’t realise is that they are handling waste of people in quarantine who could be carrying the virus,” said Harris.

While the civic body claims personal protective gear is being distributed to all workers through sponsored drives, Ernakulam secretary of the Kerala Municipal Corporation Workers’ Federation (KMCWF) Skandakumar P K refutes it. 

“There are around 800 permanent contingent workers in the corporation. In addition, about 300 are substitutes or hired through employment exchange. Another 100 are daily wage labourers working temporarily. All of them have been working day in and day out since the pandemic outbreak with no additional incentive or leave. Despite this, the corporation has failed to provide basic things like masks, sanitisers and gloves. A mask and a towel was distributed almost three months back but that was all. We have also been demanding for testing among workers.”

Call for shift system
Even as the district administration grapples with a shortage of staff, unions are demanding a shift-based working system on the heels of one adopted in Thiruvananthapuram after 27 workers in one circle tested positive earlier this week. “None of the workers displayed any symptoms, the cases came to light only after tests were conducted. This could be the case in Kochi as well.

We are appealing for a model where the workers are divided into two teams which would be deployed every alternate week. This will help in controlling a possible spread in the ranks. We have been asking corporations to hire more staff for many years but they continued to function with inadequate numbers based on 45-year-old figures. Only now are they realising their limitations,” said Kannamoola Vijayan, general secretary, KMCWF.

No safety gear
While the civic body claims personal protective gear is being distributed to all workers through sponsored drives, Ernakulam secretary of the Kerala Municipal Corporation Workers’ Federation  Skandakumar P K refutes it.The corporation has failed to provide basic things like masks, sanitisers and gloves, he said.