Pune: SWaCH Opposes Privatisation Of Waste Picker’s Livelihood As Corporators Demand Private Agencies In Solid Waste Management System

Pune, January 10, 2021: While the Solid Waste Collection and Handling (SWaCH) is awaiting for a renewal of their contract with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), a few corporators have demanded the civic administration to rope in private players in the solid waste management system of the city. Ahead of the standing committee meeting, the local politicos have placed a proposal stating the same. The SWaCH’s contract with the PMC ended on December 31, 2020. 

As per the protocols, the contract with the solid waste management entity is renewed every five years, however, this year the organisation is facing some trials from the politicos. Asserting that bringing private players in the field will ensure fair competition, a few corporators have demanded that PMC should allow tender proposals from private waste management operators as well. SWaCH covers 70 percent of Pune for waste collection. Whereas, around 23 percent of the waste collection is taken care of by PMC itself.

The waste tussle

According to sources, after the lockdown was introduced last year post the pandemic outbreak, a few local private waste management operators were collecting waste from a number of households in an area/societies. They were apparently filling in for the absence of SWaCH waste pickers who were unable to go and collect the wastes due to the strict restriction on movements at several slum residences. However, while on the run-up to SWaCH’s renewal, six months back some corporators insisted on having private entities on board for waste collection in the city. 

No privatisation

Opposing the privatisation of the waste collection system, SWaCH representatives have issued a statement. It stated that SWaCH is an extension of the PMC’s solid waste management (SWM) department. Informal waste-pickers own SWaCH and provide waste collection services to citizens against direct user fees. In fact, it was established by the PMC in 2007 in line with State Government Directives in 2002 to integrate informal waste-pickers and pull them out of poverty and promote sustainable waste management. 

“Waste-pickers get their remuneration directly from citizens. They supplement this income by sorting dry waste into over 40 categories and selling such materials into recycling. This ensures 100 percent transparency and direct accountability to citizens. 3500 waste-pickers of Swach cover 70 percent of the city, directly saving PMC and therefore citizens 500 Crores in the last 5 years alone,” stated the release.

The SWaCH further stated that the idea of tendering the work to other organisations on the same terms, to prevent a monopoly, is akin to questioning the monopoly of the PMC or any government established body. 

SWaCH Ensures Accountability Of Waste Management

The cooperative is owned, controlled and operated by the waste-pickers. This model has been recognised globally and nationally as one of the most socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable and financially responsible waste management models. The cooperative structure ensures that waste-pickers get maximum benefits, have autonomy and fulfil PMCs requirements with respect to SWM. Individual profiteering, commission and corruption are absent due to the cooperative structure, which protects the waste-pickers from exploitation / arbitrary removal, read the statement. 

“The introduction of private contractors under the guise of competition is a clear attempt to deprive waste-pickers of their agency and control and an attack on their atmanirbharta (self-reliance). World over, private contractors are known to subvert the larger social, financial and environmental principles in the interest of profit. Such private organisations already exist in the SWM space Pune. They are either corporator supported vehicles that ostensibly provide free collection to citizens (while the costs are borne by PMC budget) or purely private tempo owners collecting waste from large societies employing and exploiting labour to maximize profits,” said the SWaCH representatives. 

They also stated that the waste-pickers of Pune strongly oppose any attempt of privatisation of their livelihoods, and perforce be pushed in the direction of demanding statutory worker wages and benefits available to PMC employees. 

PMC is ‘for extension’ of SWaCH

PMC’s additional municipal commissioner Kunal Khemnar said, “Aat present, we have decided to give an extension to SWaCH organisation. The administration has put forth the same to the standing committee. There are demands from corporators to call for other agencies along with SWaCH. The issue will be discussed in the next week’s standing committee meeting.” 

According to one of the officials of the corporation, it is not feasible to replace SWaCH at this stage when Swachh Survekeshan (cleanliness survey) is going on. SWaCH is doing good work. If there is any disparity in the work, the corporation will rectify it.