Shortage of sanitary workers has affected solid waste management in Tiruchi Corporation.
Until 2008-09, the day-to-day work of clearing waste from streets, public places and transporting the daily collection of garbage from the garbage bins, bus stands and vegetable and fruit markets to the compost yards were carried out mostly by the permanent conservancy workers of the Corporation. If they were on sick or casual leave, substitute workers, who were recruited through the employment exchange, were engaged to carry out the work. Depending upon their seniority, the Corporation followed a system to regularise their service whenever vacancies arose.
To manage the situation, the civic body later started outsourcing the garbage clearing work in select wards and some areas particularly Central Bus Stand, Chathiram Bus Stand and Gandhi Market. A few manpower agencies were engaged on auction basis to carry out specific jobs. Since it received severe backlash and criticism in garbage collection and disposal mechanism, the Corporation reverted to its regular system.
When the Corporation introduced micro compost yards in 2016-17 to decentralise garbage collection and disposal, it began employing the services of self-help groups (SHG). While the SHG members were initially engaged to process the garbage collected in micro compost yards, they were gradually engaged in collection of garbage too.
According to sources, around 1,380 members of self-help groups are engaged in sanitary services in Tiruchi Corporation. Of them, 624 members are working in 65 wards. There are about 1,200 permanent workers.
G.O. yardsticks
The number of sanitary workers is said to be highly insufficient in a city of over 10 lakh population. According to a G.O. issued in April 1997 that framed yardsticks for creating posts in urban local bodies, three workers should be posted for every 250 households, four workers for a lorry, three workers for a mini lorry. It is said that the current strength of about 2,600 workers is not commensurate with the population.
No recruitment was made over the past 15 years except those appointed on compassionate grounds. The civic body manages the situation by engaging self-help group members with a daily wage of ₹557 a day. “The city needs at least 6,000 conservancy workers. Even after completing five or six years of service, they are still considered daily wage workers. It is painful. Moreover, they face severe work pressure. It has ultimately hit the solid waste management,” says S. Rengarajan, district secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
He said that besides doubling the number of posts, a standard system should be introduced for regularising the service of eligible workers. It would ultimately make the solid waste management system vibrant. It would also make the workers accountable for the lapses and malpractices.
