Garbage collectors working sans safety kits
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 03 2021: Garbage collectors are facing immense difficulties in collecting garbage due to lack of precautionary measures against Covid-19 including addition of garbage from containment zones.

NGOs, assigned for collecting garbage under Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) in Imphal area, are not provided with any safety equipment by IMC including masks, gloves, PPE suits, etc.

Despite this, they are continuing to do their duties.

However, many households declared as containment zones, often take down the notice albeit temporarily so as to hand over their garbage to the workers.

Many even resort to a verbal spat if they are told to follow the safety rules prescribed by the government.

Conveying their frustrations on witnessing such acts to The People's Chronicle, the sanitation workers said that as their work involves a lot of risks especially during this pandemic time, they cannot return to their homes.

Instead, they are staying at separate rents specifically arranged for this purpose.

However, no efforts have made to recognise them as frontline workers or even organise a vaccination camp for their sake.

Thus, the workers ap- pealed to the authority concerned to look into this matter and conduct a special vaccination camp along with ensuring other initiatives as a form of encouragement.

Comment