Back to work after protest, safai karamcharis of Gr Noida have a tough task at hand

“Not only the authority, but people also are responsible for this situation. They do not throw the garbage into designated bin and garbage truck or trolley does not come here regularly. The garbage kept on piling,” he said.

Safai karamcharis ended the protest Thursday after Greater Noida Authority gave assurances and sought some time to fulfill their demand to hike in wages and Rs 10 lakh life insurance.

Kailash Kumar, a resident of Bundelkhand who has been living in Aicher village since 1998, said, “Most of the people in the area live in rented accommodation. Because we are tenants, supervisors do not listen to us. We have asked our owners to raise the sanitation issues with the authority, but they do not care as they do not live here. The situation has turned pathetic due to the protest. However, even on other days, we see very few cleanliness workers deployed in the area.” Kumar, who works as a painter, said, “There are a lot of carts selling food in the middle of the garbage. It is unhygienic… We are prone to many diseases as this is a favourable breeding ground for the mosquitoes.”

In Tugalpur village, Jagveer Singh said he has spats with his neighbours recently over the issue of garbage.

“They throw it from upstairs. Earlier, the safai karamcharis would come and clear the area. But for the past few days, nobody came here and it got accumulated. I asked them multiple times to not do this, but they do not listen,” said Singh, adding that his mechanic shop is just beside a plot full of filth.

Singh’s shop opens to a drain, which he said was choked, resulting in sewage spilling in the area and a foul smell. Around 20 meters from his shop, there is a designated site to throw the waste, but he said the garbage has been lying there for days. “The van does not come here frequently to pick up the waste. In the rainfall, it has turned into havoc…,” said the man.

Manoj, a safai karamchari who works in the Pari Chowk area, said he has come back to work after the authority’s promise that their wages would be revised. “Our request to the authority’s CEO is that our salary should not be deducted for the time we were at the protest. We are back to work after his promise and are working round the clock. Our promises must be fulfilled at the earliest,” said the worker.

NG Ravi Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Noida Authority, has formed a five-member committee to look into the issue. “The committee will see if their salary can be increased after assessing the financial implications for around 2,000 safai karamcharis,” the CEO had earlier said.