COVID-19 pandemic
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 9: As COVID-19 pandemic cases are on surge on daily basis, the safari karmacharis, who were labeled as ‘frontline workers’ are forced to work without protective gears.
Despite being aware of the risks, the frontline workers can be seen performing their duties almost in every ward of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC).
These employees come in contact with various kinds of waste due to which, the chances of catching any disease remains high in absence of safety gears.
Sharing their concern, the residents have pleaded to the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) authorities to provide masks and gloves to JMC workers so that they can be protected from diseases. They also said hand sanitisers, along with safety kits, should also be provided to these workers.
The residents said sweepers, sewer men and garbage collectors work without any safety gear. “There is a dire need to pay attention towards these employees who are forced to work without any protective gears, to make the city clean. The JMC authorities should take necessary steps for the safety of these workers,” they said.
Since the Coronavirus outbreak, the safai karamcharis who are regarded as essential workers have been hailed, especially on social media for the work they do.
A group of women safai karamcharis while interacting with the Excelsior said that initially they were provided with protective gear by the JMC authorities, but how long they can be used?. “We lift the garbage without having gloves and masks”, they added.
Centre told the Supreme Court in the month of April that sanitation workers in the country have been provided with requisite protective kits and the authorities are following the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Coronavirus pandemic, but on the ground, nothing like that is visible. We are forced to work without protective gear. Even sometimes, people don’t allow us to work in their areas in absence of masks or sanitizers”, safai karamcharis said, adding that due to non-availability of protective gears our lives are at risk of getting infected due to pandemic, but none from the authorities bother about this.
“The authorities concerned should wake up and take necessary measures to ensure safety of all these workers at the earliest. These workers should be provided masks, gloves, sanitisers, soaps and other necessary gear for their protection. Even the authorities concerned should ensure their periodic health check ups,” Vishal Sharma, a resident living in the jurisdiction of JMC said.
When contacted Deputy Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Advocate Purnima Sharma told the EXCELSIOR, “I will take up the matter with the authorities and will ensure that masks, gloves and other required protection gears will be provided to safai karamcharis.”
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