Two pourakarmikas from Mysuru are in the spotlight as they will be the only two among their fraternity from South India with whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to interact on a virtual platform on Thursday, on the occasion of the announcement of Swachch Survekshan-2020 results.
Nanjundaswamy and Manjula, the civic workers employed with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), have been chosen among the 10 shortlisted sanitation workers for the interactive session. The fact that they have a working knowledge of Hindi also weighed in their favour, say authorities.
Arrangements are being made for the virtual interaction in the backdrop of Mysuru palace, the city’s prime landmark. MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde told The Hindu that Mysuru is among four districts in the country selected by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, from where the stakeholders had been chosen for the interaction. The two would be representing the whole of South India since only Mysuru has got this opportunity.
The two civic workers were shortlisted since they were familiar with basic Hindi. “We wanted our participants to freely interact instead of arranging a translator for them. They know basic Hindi. Moreover, they have been in the profession for a long time and can share their experiences better.”
Mr. Nanjundaswamy, who recently recovered from COVID-19, said he was excited as he had never imagined that he would be speaking to the Prime Minister. “The initial fears and how we overcame the scare of COVID-19 in discharging our daily work as warriors with safety precautions will be explained if given a chance,” he said. Mr. Nanjundaswamy’s mother was a pourakarmika who died while in service.
Ms. Manjula’s family has four pourakarmikas, with her three sons taking up the job like her with the MCC. She has been in this profession for 22 years.
