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Waste Workers Divided Over New Pay System
25 Sep
Summary
- Waste workers are conflicted over a new salary-based system versus their current earnings.
- An NGO introduced a new waste collection model, including a mandatory user fee collection.
- Concerns rise over formal recognition for waste workers under government schemes.
Waste workers in Defence Colony's A Block face disruption due to a new waste collection model implemented by the Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) and the NGO Shrishti Environment and Livelihood Foundation (SELF). This initiative aims to formalize waste collection by introducing a salary-based system, offering Rs 18,000 per month, which is less than the workers' current average earnings of Rs 25,000.
Workers are also tasked with collecting a user fee of Rs 150 from each household for SELF. This has created a rift, with some workers refusing to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) due to the reduced income and the burden of fee collection. Many claim they were pressured to sign the document without understanding its contents.
The situation also highlights a lack of formal recognition for these waste workers. Environmental activists suggest their inclusion in the government's National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, but the RWA claims insufficient numbers for registration. The dispute underscores broader issues regarding the welfare and formalization of informal waste workers.
