Relevance: GS-2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Key phrases: waste pickers, Safai Saathis, waste management, occupational and environmental hazards, Unfair and inconsistent prices, welfare framework.

Why in News?

• There must be firm focus on building resilience against shocks, expanding access to social protection, and creating opportunities for safe, sustainable, and dignified livelihoods of waste pickers.

Context:

• According to former Environment Minister, India generates 62 million tonnes of waste, of which 43 million tonnes is collected annually and only 28% is treated. It is home to more than 4 million waste pickers. Predominantly women, this army of waste pickers or Safai Saathis is the backbone of traditional waste management in most Indian cities.
• Despite this, Safai Saathis have not found their legitimate space in India’s development discourse. When the government announced measures during the pandemic to support frontline workers, the waste picker community remained conspicuous by its absence. This is particularly disheartening as they continue to collect and sort through rising mounds of potentially dangerous waste including masks, hazmat suits, and plastic face-shields.
• Their multiple vulnerabilities, including low and uncertain incomes, limited access to government schemes, high health risks, and severe social exclusion, have all been exacerbated by Covid-19.
• The study shows that 46.73 percent of the waste-picker households are slum owners, 52.13 percent live in rented accommodation and 1.14 percent reside in shelter homes and other places. More than half (51.64 percent) of the waste picking households have been residing in the area for less than 15 years. These informal workers collect recyclable materials to earn small wages on a daily basis. A majority (60.54 percent) of them earn below Rs 200 a day; 30.86 percent earn between Rs 200-500 a day while just 8.61 percent earn over Rs 500 a day through waste picking.

Challenges encountered by waste pickers:

Whether working on a landfill or picking waste on the street, waste pickers face a variety of challenges on a daily basis. Some such problems are:

• Today, 90% of the waste pickers are Dalits or belong to scheduled caste or scheduled tribes. Denied formal job opportunities, these communities are systematically forced into working in landfills and are subjected to a plethora of ailments caused by the toxic gases discharged from the collection of waste and leachate. This can vary from asthma, tuberculosis and eye irritations to potentially fatal diseases like Dengue, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis and Kala Azar.
• Additionally, the waste pickers have to bend their backs while sifting through the waste constantly and, thus, fall prey to musculoskeletal disorders. Despite this, hospitals exclude them from government health schemes based on their identity and occupation.
• Among the primary challenges faced by the waste picker communities, not being recognised legally as a worker under the law is a prime one. The cost of non-recognition is high. It results in the waste picker communities facing numerous forms of discrimination and harassment, with repeated violations of their basic and fundamental rights.
• They are often seen and labelled as vagrants. State municipalities do not legally permit waste pickers to segregate and sell waste from garbage dumps across the country. They are deemed to be committing theft under the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
• Child waste pickers are vulnerable given their poor knowledge and awareness regarding occupational and environmental hazards. Not only this, they often find themselves attacked by adult waste pickers who see them as a threat to their livelihoods. Not only do they work long hours for low wages but are also vulnerable to exploitation, child abuse and traffickers.
• Lack of unity amongst waste pickers means other waste pickers are viewed as opponents with whom to compete for recyclable material.
• Lack of proper waste management practiced by local and district municipalities at landfill sites.
• Unfair and inconsistent prices from buyers of collected waste.
• No guarantee of regular income from waste picking as a livelihood.

What has the government done so far ?

Three main policies govern solid waste management in India that aims to target the marginalised communities:

• NAPCC-National Action Plan on Climate Change.
• MSWMM-Municipal Solid Waste Management Manual issued by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation.
• Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016.
  After an in-depth analysis, a common theme can be observed. While these policies recognise waste pickers and their concerns and acknowledge that the unsanitary conditions in these landfills are overly problematic for the waste pickers frequenting these sites, there are no actionable elements to these policies.

Way Forward:

• As India progresses towards meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a study makes a compelling case to intensify efforts to address the challenges faced by Safai Saathis. Its evidence-backed insights have the potential to inform government policy and action — including the government’s ambition to bring informal workers under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and the e-SHRAM initiative that links workers to the state-funded health insurance.
• An important starting point is the registration of Safai Saathis by urban local bodies, and providing ID cards that recognise them as municipal workers with a clear role. Ensuring minimum pay and enabling their authorised access to waste are essential next steps.
• The overall policy agenda for Safai Saathis must include a firm focus on building resilience against shocks, expanding access to social protection, and creating opportunities to graduate towards safe, sustainable, and dignified livelihoods.
• First, diversified solid waste management-linked livelihoods like dry waste centre managers and machine operators can broaden employment horizons for these workers. Waste pickers’ cooperatives can strengthen Safai Saathis’ collective bargaining power enabling higher prices for what they collect.
• Second, a welfare framework to design social protection schemes explicitly for Safai Saathis should be a policy priority. Proactively reaching out to the workers for enrolment in government schemes, minimising paperwork, and a greater awareness among Safai Saathis about their entitlements are essential for linking them to government programmes.
• In the medium term, there is a clear need to create better, safer, decent jobs in the economy that informal workers like Safai Saathis can eventually move to, supported by efforts to enhance their skills.
• Finally, as India makes determined strides towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals, it must look at exploring alternate, technology-led circular economy models that eliminate the need for any person to do this hazardous work manually. Waste pickers and thier children deserve to break away from this cycle and have a chance at a life with better opportunities and a life of dignity.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the challenges faced by waste pickers in India. What should be the measures to tackle challenges faced by waste pickers? Critically analyse.