Sanitary workers involved in solid waste management in four village panchayats petitioned the Collector here, condemning the decision to reduce their employment from 300 days per year to 100 days.
These workers, employed as ‘sanitary guards,’ were involved in door-to-door collection of garbage, waste segregation and in some villages for producing manure from biodegradable waste.
The workers said that they were paid Rs. 203 a day through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
“More than a year back, when the local bodies wanted sanitary workers, no one in the village was willing to go. Only, we did. Now, when we are fully dependent on this employment, how can they stop it,” asked S. Ayyammal from Kovil Paapakudi.
When contacted, a senior official from District Rural Development Agency, said, “As per MGNREGS, a person is guaranteed only 100 days of employment. However, last year, we could provide 300 days as we tied it up with Solid Waste Management (SWM) scheme.”
“As we are uncertain about receiving funds through SWM scheme this year, we have for now decided to do the work with three batches of workers with each batch covering 100 days,” the official said.
