An overcast sky sends Subbalakshmi and her two kids scurrying for last minute reinforcements for their makeshift dwelling. The youngsters dash through a swarm of flies and insects —staggering in the heaps of garbage — for tarpaulin, plastic, cardboards and other items to strengthen their shack. Their bare and tiny hands and feet move swiftly, unmindful of the dangers lurking in the refuse. They are followed by others from the tiny settlement, housing six to seven families, perched atop a hillock in the dumping yard in C. Ramapuram village of the Tirupati Rural mandal.
For the past decade and more, these families have built their livelihood by collecting and selling the waste procured from the site. Abandoning their dwellings, located elsewhere in the surrounding villages, they have made the dumping yard their primary residence. Like everyone, they also go ahead with their daily chores such as cooking, eating, washing, sleeping but a majority of them do that inside mosquito nets. Foul smell emanating from the site has no affect, as they have become immune to it.
“The whole of rainy season is a testing time for us. Right from the profusion of insects [particularly the swarms of houseflies] to the heightened odour due to rotting garbage, a multitude of problems crop up. Sometimes, scorpions and crabs make their way into our huts. We somehow manage the issues and go ahead with collecting glass bottles, plastic covers and other items for selling them back in the city. This is what we know,” asserted Subbalakshmi, swatting away the winged creatures.
Their visits to the city and dwellings in the village depend on the quantity of ‘saleable’ waste they procure from the site, which takes weeks, sometimes even several months. Cut off, to some extent, from regular human settlements, the ‘dumpyard residents’ have no access to basic amenities. Though their day passes by in waste collection, nights are spent under starry skies and amid candlelight and distant burning garbage fires. “We have to obtain a sizeable amount of items to make some money. It varies from ₹500 to a maximum of ₹3,000 per month and the items primarily include plastic, glass and gunny bags,” remarked Cheeralamma, speaking to The Hindu .
Travel by dump trucks
The youngsters have a more heart-rending tales to express.
Some parents have made it a point to send their children to school and they regularly travel via dump trucks to the main road, about 4-5 km from the settlement and back.
A doe-eyed Kumari is quite excited as she would be joining the school from this academic year with her friends.
A few hours in the school followed by playtime at the dumpyard with whatever they can fashion as toys is what would define her upcoming days. Meanwhile, living in such hazardous conditions could take a heavy toll on their health.
