Punekars Appreciate Your Waste Pickers, Boost Their Morale
Pune, April 3, 2020: In the times of COVID, when people are afraid to come out of their homes, meet their closest friends and relatives, resume their daily routines, several communities are on the frontlines, battling not only their families, but also their own fears, to ensure they deliver on their work, diligently
Waste pickers of SWACH are one such group. Over 3800 of them service around 8,50,000 households of Pune daily, collecting waste from the doorstep, and either composting it or taking it to the secondary collection points or vehicles. The otherwise empty streets in the morning are dotted with the familiar SWaCH pushcarts, with the ever efficient waste pickers donning their blue and green jackets.
“I too was scared; my elderly mother is nearby, and I certainly don’t want her to catch the disease”, says Pinky Sonavane, Indira vasti, Aundh. “Then I saw some photographs, of empty streets and only waste pickers on them. And I said, if all my sisters can do it, so will I.”
“Of course we were also scared, but we realised that this is the time to keep our fears aside, and stand up against all odds and face the challenges. Our problem is that we live in such small houses, with limited water, and resources. We have to be so careful”, said Saru Waghmare.
“When we are commended for the work we do, we feel recognised, and supported. We feel proud”, says Mahadev Kalidas Dhavne, waste collector, proudly holding the certificate given by the housing society he services.
Punekars Stand With Your Wastepickers
