Karnataka - Bangalore   

Thanking the pourakarmikas

Grateful: Children displaying ‘Thank You’ cards, which were given to pourakarmikas in recognition of their services, in Bangalore.

Bangalore: What we take for granted was acknowledged in a touching fashion by children of the Civic Club.

It was a special Saturday for Naganna, Kempamma, Sampige and scores of other pourakarmikas as they received a Thank You card and a rose from schoolchildren; members of the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) in various city schools, who celebrated Pourakarmika Day to recognise their untiring efforts in keeping our city clean and healthy.

The event, in which CMCA children from 75 member schools planned to visit ward health offices across our city to thank the pourakarmikas, was flagged off at the BBMP Commissioner’s Office by Vrunda Bhaskar, National Coordinator, CMCA.

The children read out poems in Kannada and English in praise of the pourakarmikas.

Responding to this gesture Savitriamma, a pourakarmika, said she felt good about it, but asked adults to be a little more considerate while dumping garbage. She spoke of a woman resident on the third floor of a building who demanded that she go up to collect the garbage or else she would have to wait till the lady deigned to come down at 10 o’clock to dump it. Pourakarmikas cope with indiscriminate and insensitive disposal of solid waste by apathetic citizens, and a system that does not enforce basic solid waste management initiatives like segregation of waste at source.

Ill-equipped to handle soiled and hazardous waste, they are often forced to handle leaking batteries, broken bulbs and bottles, waste such as bandages and sanitary pads without equipment like gloves.

Many of them are exposed to various health problems, face discrimination, low wages and are exploited by private contractors. They are our unsung heroes, working tirelessly to ensure our city is clean and yet, they even become the target of public ire and criticism, said the children.

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