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PCMC chief summoned to answer questions regarding failure to provide basic equipment to its sanitation workers
The National SC/ST Commission has issued summons to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar for failing to provide basic equipment to its conservancy
The National SC/ST Commission has issued summons to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar for failing to provide basic equipment to its conservancy workers.
As per notice sent by Swaraj Vidwan, member, National Commission for SC/ST, Hardikar has been asked to be present for a hearing on February 5.
The summons to Hardikar followed a complaint to the commission by advocate and chairman of Safai Karmachari Takrar Nivaran Samiti of PCMC, Sagar Charan who led a delegation along with sanitary workers and complained that the civic body failed to provide basic facilities like boots, hand gloves, masks and soap.
Charan said, “The PCMC is violating the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 by denying basic facilities to sanitary workers. The civic body has also failed to implement the recommendations made by the Lad-Page committee, which is appointed by the government for appointment of legal heirs for sanitation staff. There was no reply from the civic body when we approached them and hence we have decided to approach the national commission.”
The Lad-Page committee of the state government had recommended that sanitation workers employed in the government, semi-governmental and civic bodies in Maharashtra can nominate their kin for their job after retirement, voluntary retirement, death or disability.
Hardikar acknowledged that many complaints had been received about the problems faced by sanitary workers.
“Yes,we have received many complaints about issues faced by sanitary workers. So to address their problems, we have formulated a redressal committee. So through it, problems are being solved in a stepwise manner,” Hardikar said.
Sanitary women workers have complained that they don’t have facilities for drinking water and changing rooms. The PCMC Safai Karmachari Takrar Nivaran Samiti has lodged more than 160 complaints regarding unavailability of basic facilities at the workplace. More than 250 sanitary women workers have also alleged that they have been deprived from free housing scheme of the civic body.
Ironically, while the conservancy staff is complaining of poor working conditions, the civic body had proposed last month that smart wristwatches will be provided to the 4,544 PCMC sanitation workers to track their movement on the field.
This decision was taken by the civic body after complaints were received from residents about erratic garbage collection in the industrial township.
PCMC additional commissioner Dilip Gawade had said the plan was discussed in the standing committee meeting on December 11, 2018 and deferred without approval.
“We have prepared a plan to purchase 4,555 GPS-enabled smart watches for Rs 6.25 crore, which includes maintenance of the watches for four years,” Mamta Gaikwad, chairperson of PCMC standing committee had said. This plan was however, opposed by NCP leader Datta Sane who had pointed out that sanitation workers do not even have hand gloves or protective shoes and the civic body wants to provide them with smart watches.
According to notice sent by member of national commission for SC/ST Swaraj Vidwan,civic commissioner Hardikar has asked to attain hearing scheduled on February 5. A delegation led by advocate Sagar Charan along with sanitary workers approached the commission and complained that,the civic body has failed to provide basic facilities like boots,hand gloves, masks and soaps.Considering the complaints, the commission has scheduled hearing and issued summons to civic commissioner.
More than, 250 sanitary women workers have been deprived from free housing scheme by the civic body. Along with that,there is no facility of drinking water and changing room for women sanitary workers. Safai Karmachari Takrar Nivaran Samiti of PCMC has lodged more than 160 complaints regarding unavailability of basic facilities at workplace.However, the civic body has kept their eyes blind towards it. STRAP: Last month, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation wanted to spend Rs 6.25 crore on smart watches to track movement of sanitary staff
