Focus on welfare, education of pourakarmikas’ children: Commission member

Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission member C. Shankar Ankanashettipura emphasized the importance of raising public awareness on sorting waste at the source before delivering it to pourakarmikas, during a progress review meeting in Mysuru on Monday. Before the meeting, he conversed with pourakarmikas to gather insights on their challenges.

He also highlighted that drivers and helpers in the garbage collection vehicle section are part of the sanitation workforce but receive low wages. A letter has been submitted to the government requesting higher salaries and additional benefits for these workers, which he claimed would be addressed soon. Shankar stressed the need to change the mentality that children of pourakarmikas should also join the same occupation.

He suggested collecting educational details of their children through environmental engineers, encouraging them to pursue higher education, and providing them with benefits under various government schemes like the MCC’s 24.10% allocation. Permanent pourakarmikas are already being allocated sites and houses under the Gruha Bhagya scheme.

Direct-payment sanitation workers, sewerage workers, loaders, cleaners, and drivers also play a crucial role in maintaining the city's cleanliness and sanitation. A proposal would be submitted to the government for granting special grants and housing under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation or other government schemes for these workers.

MCC Commissioner M.K. Savitha mentioned that a single-window system has been established to facilitate workers in expressing their grievances, with complaints initially submitted to environmental engineers and health inspectors, and escalating to the Additional Commissioner if unresolved.