https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKJHihGbAg BY DALIT FREEDOM NETWORK
KACHRA: A DOCUMENTARY BY PUNE SAFAI KAMGAAR UNION
Sweeper tries to end life after wage row
Mumbai: Vinod Jadhav, a conservancy worker on con-tract, tried to commit suicide on Wednesday after he was sacked by his employee for demanding his wages.Jadhav's pay was half of what he was entitled to under the Minimum Wages Act. Enraged by the incident, thousands of sweepers working on contract, staged a demonstration against the BMC on Friday. According to the conditions laid down by the BMC while issuing contracts for garbage disposal, every sweeper should be paid Rs3,937 per month. However,sweepers employed by con-tractors across the 24 civic wards complained of being cheated. The ward officials wash their hands off the matter as the workers are not civic employees.When Jadhav raised the issue with his employer, he was asked to leave. "I was worried about my children's future, so I continued to sweep the streets. But on Friday, when the supervisor told me that I would no longer be paid my wages, I did not know what else to do," he said. The workers said 10 sweepers had earlier been sacked from the T ward over the past month.While a few question the terms of their employment,Sweepers have to be paid Rs 3,937 per month as per contract but they complain of being cheated by contractors across the 24 wards job insecurity lulls the rest into silence. "Every month I am asked to sign a paper and then handed Rs 1,800.I know the contractor is making profit at my expense but if I protest I lose whatever Iearn," said another worker,Savita Gadegaonkar.Conservancy workers' union leaders said, "Every time a new contractor is appointed, officials find fault with everything the workers do and fine him. The con-tractor relents by paying off officials every month. The money he loses in bribing them is then made up by underpaying his workers,"said Milind Ranade, leader of the Kachara VahatukShramik Sangh (KVSS). After the KVSS intimated senior officials about the violation of the Contract Labour Act (1970), the BMC issued a circular in September which made it compulsory for contractors to pay workers in the presence of civic officials. The BMC also ordered the payment should be made by a cross cheque by the 10th of each month.However, the labourers with whom TOI spoke, are yet to receive their full payment or are there any civic officials present when they receive their wages. "If our di-rectives are not followed,the contractor will not be given his next pay" said additional civic commissioner Subrat Ratho. TNN Sweeper tries to end life after wage row
Mumbai: Vinod Jadhav, a conservancy worker on con-tract, tried to commit suicide on Wednesday after he was sacked by his employee for demanding his wages.Jadhav's pay was half of what he was entitled to under the Minimum Wages Act. Enraged by the incident, thousands of sweepers working on contract, staged a demonstration against the BMC on Friday. According to the conditions laid down by the BMC while issuing contracts for garbage disposal, every sweeper should be paid Rs3,937 per month. However,sweepers employed by con-tractors across the 24 civic wards complained of being cheated. The ward officials wash their hands off the matter as the workers are not civic employees.When Jadhav raised the issue with his employer, he was asked to leave. "I was worried about my children's future, so I continued to sweep the streets. But on Friday, when the supervisor told me that I would no longer be paid my wages, I did not know what else to do," he said. The workers said 10 sweepers had earlier been sacked from the T ward over the past month.While a few question the terms of their employment,Sweepers have to be paid Rs 3,937 per month as per contract but they complain of being cheated by contractors across the 24 wards job insecurity lulls the rest into silence. "Every month I am asked to sign a paper and then handed Rs 1,800.I know the contractor is making profit at my expense but if I protest I lose whatever Iearn," said another worker,Savita Gadegaonkar.Conservancy workers' union leaders said, "Every time a new contractor is appointed, officials find fault with everything the workers do and fine him. The con-tractor relents by paying off officials every month. The money he loses in bribing them is then made up by underpaying his workers,"said Milind Ranade, leader of the Kachara VahatukShramik Sangh (KVSS). After the KVSS intimated senior officials about the violation of the Contract Labour Act (1970), the BMC issued a circular in September which made it compulsory for contractors to pay workers in the presence of civic officials. The BMC also ordered the payment should be made by a cross cheque by the 10th of each month.However, the labourers with whom TOI spoke, are yet to receive their full payment or are there any civic officials present when they receive their wages. "If our di-rectives are not followed,the contractor will not be given his next pay" said additional civic commissioner Subrat Ratho. TNN Sweeper tries to end life after wage row
WORKERS' ISSUES INTO MEDIA :
- MANHOLE OR FATALHOLE?
What happened?
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been cleaning drains in preparation for the monsoon. For this, the civic body had appointed contractors to thoroughly clean out storm water drains (SWD) and work was going on in full swing across the city. The work is undertaken every year by the BMC to save the city from possible flooding. This year, contractor RPS Mehta was awarded the contract to clean up storm water drains at Kalachowkie.
On Thursday, Umakrishnan, Pandian and Anil Londhe, 24, followed the usual procedures, but did not wait long enough. They were asked to enter the drain without any safety equipment like gumboots, hand gloves, masks or oxygen cylinder. The two, Umakrishnan and Pandian, quickly entered the manhole on instruction of the supervisor and this haste proved fatal for them. When they did not return back for quite some time, Londhe was asked to follow suite and he went inside.
Within seconds Londhe came rushing out feeling dizzy. But Umakrishnan and Pandian could not make it out and became unconscious due to inhaling of poisonous gases and fumes.
They were rushed to KEM Hospital, but both were declared death soon after admission on 20th May 2010.
Where do they come from?
Today slum dwellers make up 60% of Mumbai's population that is approximately 7 million people. Slum inhabitants constantly have to deal with issues such as, constant migration, lack of water, no sewage or solid waste facilities, lack of public transit, pollution and housing shortages. High mortality rate is also a common problem.
Umakrishnan(24) and Pandian(23) hail from a similar slum area near Ray road station which is mostly inhabited by natives of Tamil Nadu and a considerable number of Dalit population stay there. The water problem here is such that they pay 30rs per drum of water almost every other day in spite of the fact that they are eligible for free supply of water through the municipal corporations. Large amount of epidemic has also taken lives of many people staying here.
Both Umakrishnan and Pandian had been in the same slum since their grandparents relocated to Mumbai. They both had not studied beyond 5th standard and didn’t have any job in hand. They rarely used to work for a living. Umakrishnan’s family consisted of his wife and a 1 ½ year old child which was supported by his old mother who used to work at a construction site. All men in the family – his father and brother - had died with T.B. Similarly, Pandian was married to a young girl who was 5 months pregnant. They had a love marriage and had married only 1 ½ years back with no opposition from either of the families.
What led them to do this work?
1. Their economic conditions: The poverty forced them to do such inhuman jobs which nobody else dares to even think about doing it. If we look at some numbers, at 350 deaths per year from among 22,000 permanent sanitation workers in the BMC, the mortality rate (MR) is 16 for every 1,000 Safai Karamcharis
2. Caste Discrimination: The word "Dalit" comes from the Marathi language, and means "ground", "suppressed", "crushed", or "broken to pieces". In the context of traditional Hindu society, Dalit status has often been historically associated with occupations regarded as ritually impure, such as any involving leatherwork, butchering, or removal of rubbish, animal carcasses, and waste. Dalits work as manual laborers cleaning streets, latrines, and sewers. This is one of the main reasons why in the first place they agree to do such jobs because they are then not left with any other option to earn.
3. Support the family: Both of them had a family to support and did not have a permanent job in hand. Trying to earn this minimal amount for cleaning manholes, they took up this job for the first time through the contractors who pick them up from the slums.
What is the condition of the family today?
Staying in those small slum houses and with tears rolling down their faces while talking to them, one thing was clear that there is nothing compared to the lives of their loved ones. There is no word like ‘compensate’ for them. The families initially were not even aware of the fact that they were eligible for any financial compensation. Only when their relatives and few other people told them, they asked for it. BMC had put down their hands saying that it was the contractor’s (RPS Mehta) liability and not theirs. Also, initially the contractors refused to pay any compensation to the families of the victim but due to little media attention that the case got and repeated demand from the family, they gave 6 lakhs compensation each towards their wives.
While Uma’s wife took the money with her and went back to her own family, Pandian’s wife gave 2 lakhs to her mother-in-law and has kept rest of the money aside for her child yet to be born. However, money is not the factor that will sustain these families with small children. They believe that giving jobs to the wives will ensure constant money in the family. The issue of unemployment in this section of the society (even hard labor) with no more male support makes them worried about the sustenance of their lives.
What are the issues in this case?
1. No ownership: Soon after the death of the two workers, the BMC refused to take any ownership for it. The High Court has given clear cut guidelines to the BMC, while giving such contracts, but the rules are hardly followed. Each time there is an accident or casualty, the guidelines are followed for few months only. Also, without the media attention and the FIR case, contractors did not bother to own the fact that it was due to their negligence, lives of those 2 men and many lives associated with them were ruined.
2. Lack of implementation of procedures: Even after the High Court order, which directed that no state departments (municipal corporations, municipalities, gram panchayats) as well as private person or companies should let any person enter a manhole to clean it except when it is inevitable — contractors continue to refute the order. The order further stated that in such a case, the employer is required to check the extent and types of gases present in the manhole. If found safe, the employer should provide equipments like oxygen mask, helmet, gumboot, air blower, torch, safety belt, etc. while one enters the manhole. However, in actual, the workers are forced to get into these manholes without any clothes and without any proper training.
3. Illiteracy and Poverty: Since illiteracy and poverty are tightly tied up, this leads to a great amount of ignorance. If only these men knew what they were entitled for and what are the hazards of going down that manhole without any safety measures, this case could have been avoided. Also, while speaking to one of the wives and looking at their bank account summary, she mentioned she did not understand the figures or what was written in the death certificate. In such a case, there is a great possibility of being cheated by the officials or anybody.
What is the solution?
It is not the lack of funds or technology that poses problems. If technology can be used to launch satellites and the Rs 386- crore Chandrayaan (the mission to moon), why can it not be used for garbage and sewage? The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM), hatched by the Ministry of Urban Development in 2002, envisages spending Rs 1,20,536 crore over seven years on urban local bodies. Of the projects approved so far under the JNURM, 40 percent have been allotted for drainage and sewerage work. Why does so much money get spent on laying/relaying pipes and drains that are designed to kill? India’s urban planners, designers and technologists have never felt the need to conceive a human-friendly system of managing garbage and sewage. Instead, they rely on an unending source of disposable, cheap, Dalit labour.
Bibliography
1. Mumbai Mirror, 21st May, 2010.
2. Tehelka Magazine, Vol 4, Issue 47, Dated Dec 08 , 2007
Anisha Joseph
I Year, M.A Social Work
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
2. ONLINE PETITION-- RIGHT TO LIFE WITH DIGNITY
A basic human right is being violated for the manhole workers every day. How is this violated for a manhole worker? We see it in movies how a hero goes through a manhole and emerges out from the other end to destroy the villain without a single scratch and without any dirt on his face. We applaud and think how cool it is! But what is the reality?
If we look at some facts and numbers:
• Around 25 manhole workers die every month only in Mumbai city – the richest city in India .
• 350 deaths per year from among 22,000 permanent sanitation workers in the BMC in Mumbai City (the number is dreadfully high for contract workers which is not accounted anywhere).
• More than 20,000 manhole workers die every year across the nation.
• 86% (19 out of 22) of the Bombay High Court guidelines mentioned in the scheme for protection of manhole workers are violated and not followed today.
• No safety equipments are given to them like gumboots, gloves, oil, gas test papers, water, etc.
• They have to face various health hazards and the most common among them is T.B. which is not restricted to them but spreads in their family too.
• There is neither regular medical check up given to them nor any health or ‘risk’ allowance.
• 90% of them get involved in alcoholism. In their words – they need courage to go down, which the alcohol gives them.
We see the sewage cleaning happening on roadside and close our nose ignoring the person who is inside and cleaning our entire waste. One kid falls into the manhole and the minister steps down to meet them personally and gives rehabilitation. But why is there nothing done for these people who die every day doing this inhuman work?
Right to Life means the right to lead meaningful, complete and dignified life. It does not have restricted meaning. It is something more than surviving or animal existence. The meaning of the word life cannot be narrowed down and it should be available to all citizens of the country including these manhole workers.
What are the issues in this case?
1. Lack of implementation: In 1996, Bombay High Court had given a decision for safeguarding the rights of the manhole/sewage workers (Writ Petition No.. 125/1996 PUCL vs. State of Maharashtra and Others). However, 86% (19 out of 22) of these guidelines mentioned in the scheme are violated and not followed in today’s context.
2. Insensitivity and lack of ownership by government: In spite of the guidelines given by High Court, the manhole workers are not given any safety equipments or any proper training. Moreover, BMC refuses to take any ownership for the deaths of the manhole workers if they are on contracts.
What led them to do this work?
1. Their economic conditions: The poverty forced them to do such inhuman jobs which nobody else dares to even think about doing it.
2. Caste Discrimination: Historically, Dalits are made to work such as manual laborers, cleaning streets, latrines, and sewers. This is one of the main reasons why in the first place they agree to do such jobs because they are then not left with any other option to earn.
3. Illiteracy and Poverty: Since illiteracy and poverty are tightly tied up, this leads to a great amount of ignorance in this section of the population.
OUR SUGGESTIONS:
1. Strict implementation of all the Bombay High Court guidelines which are violated.
2. Use of technology and different tools should be mandatory and there should be no room given for ‘exceptional’ cases wherein manual labor can be used.
3. When tools are being used by the manhole workers, there should be full protection given to them including other facilities like water, soap and towel to wash themselves after work.
4. Penalty to be imposed on the officials in the department in case any manhole worker is found working without the above mentioned safety equipments and proper protection.
5. They should be given ‘risk allowance’ due to the very nature of the job.
6. In case of death of the manhole worker, the job/position should be provided to the successor in the family.
7. They should be given proper housing facilities like other safai karamcharies.
8. There should be NO contracts given to any contractors.
Please go and sign the petition so that we can take a collective action. Link :
http://www.indianvoice.org/manholeworkerrights-petition.html
Anisha Joseph
I Year, M.A Social Work,
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
A basic human right is being violated for the manhole workers every day. How is this violated for a manhole worker? We see it in movies how a hero goes through a manhole and emerges out from the other end to destroy the villain without a single scratch and without any dirt on his face. We applaud and think how cool it is! But what is the reality?
If we look at some facts and numbers:
• Around 25 manhole workers die every month only in Mumbai city – the richest city in India .
• 350 deaths per year from among 22,000 permanent sanitation workers in the BMC in Mumbai City (the number is dreadfully high for contract workers which is not accounted anywhere).
• More than 20,000 manhole workers die every year across the nation.
• 86% (19 out of 22) of the Bombay High Court guidelines mentioned in the scheme for protection of manhole workers are violated and not followed today.
• No safety equipments are given to them like gumboots, gloves, oil, gas test papers, water, etc.
• They have to face various health hazards and the most common among them is T.B. which is not restricted to them but spreads in their family too.
• There is neither regular medical check up given to them nor any health or ‘risk’ allowance.
• 90% of them get involved in alcoholism. In their words – they need courage to go down, which the alcohol gives them.
We see the sewage cleaning happening on roadside and close our nose ignoring the person who is inside and cleaning our entire waste. One kid falls into the manhole and the minister steps down to meet them personally and gives rehabilitation. But why is there nothing done for these people who die every day doing this inhuman work?
Right to Life means the right to lead meaningful, complete and dignified life. It does not have restricted meaning. It is something more than surviving or animal existence. The meaning of the word life cannot be narrowed down and it should be available to all citizens of the country including these manhole workers.
What are the issues in this case?
1. Lack of implementation: In 1996, Bombay High Court had given a decision for safeguarding the rights of the manhole/sewage workers (Writ Petition No.. 125/1996 PUCL vs. State of Maharashtra and Others). However, 86% (19 out of 22) of these guidelines mentioned in the scheme are violated and not followed in today’s context.
2. Insensitivity and lack of ownership by government: In spite of the guidelines given by High Court, the manhole workers are not given any safety equipments or any proper training. Moreover, BMC refuses to take any ownership for the deaths of the manhole workers if they are on contracts.
What led them to do this work?
1. Their economic conditions: The poverty forced them to do such inhuman jobs which nobody else dares to even think about doing it.
2. Caste Discrimination: Historically, Dalits are made to work such as manual laborers, cleaning streets, latrines, and sewers. This is one of the main reasons why in the first place they agree to do such jobs because they are then not left with any other option to earn.
3. Illiteracy and Poverty: Since illiteracy and poverty are tightly tied up, this leads to a great amount of ignorance in this section of the population.
OUR SUGGESTIONS:
1. Strict implementation of all the Bombay High Court guidelines which are violated.
2. Use of technology and different tools should be mandatory and there should be no room given for ‘exceptional’ cases wherein manual labor can be used.
3. When tools are being used by the manhole workers, there should be full protection given to them including other facilities like water, soap and towel to wash themselves after work.
4. Penalty to be imposed on the officials in the department in case any manhole worker is found working without the above mentioned safety equipments and proper protection.
5. They should be given ‘risk allowance’ due to the very nature of the job.
6. In case of death of the manhole worker, the job/position should be provided to the successor in the family.
7. They should be given proper housing facilities like other safai karamcharies.
8. There should be NO contracts given to any contractors.
Please go and sign the petition so that we can take a collective action. Link :
http://www.indianvoice.org/manholeworkerrights-petition.html
Anisha Joseph
I Year, M.A Social Work,
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai