Types of sanitation workers | Importance of sanitation workers

Introduction

Did you know that across the country, we have more than 5 million people, men and women, who are involved in sanitation work and this spans the 9 different categories of sanitation work, including manual scavenging.

As per official figures, there are 58,098 'eligible manual scavengers' in the country today, who are expected to handle human waste and clean sewers as well as septic tanks.

Who are Sanitation Workers?

If one were to check the dictionary, the definition of a sanitation worker would be - "a person employed to collect, haul away, and dispose of garbage".

However, in a country like India, the term has a far more encompassing meaning - from removing garbage to cleaning toilets and surrounding spaces; from clearing sewers to emptying septic tanks, from operating sewage treatment plants to removing abandoned dead bodies, there is a lot that sanitation workers are expected to do.

Even though there is no denying the importance of sanitation workers, most people choose to ignore them and they are often looked down upon because they are considered of the lowest status in the society.

Apart from the social stigma that is associated with them, there is also social and financial discrimination against them - they generally lack any of the employment benefits that one would associate with any kind of job. Neither are they paid well, nor do they have any kind of medical and health-related benefits. Even today, most sanitation workers will belong to either a particular set of caste groups or will come from the most marginalized sections of society.

What are the Problems Sanitation Workers face?

The very first point has to be the fact that this is a job that is unsanitary and unsafe at times - no person should have to come in direct contact with human waste and other such waste products.
Several independent studies estimate that the number of people, all over India, who are involved in sanitation works would be around 50lakh. However, 20 lakh of these are engaged in the high-risk versions, such as cleaning septic tanks and sewers.
Sanitation workers in India have been oppressed for several centuries - for the longest time, sanitation workers have come from castes that are considered the lowest in the social order.
Women sanitation workers are perhaps the most exploited because, in a country like India, where patriarchal rules still tend to surface, they are pushed further down the hierarchy.
There is a severe lack of safety equipment for these workers - even during the pandemic, they did not have access to any lifesaving equipment or protective gear and this is despite the fact that the highest court of the country has mandated the same.
As per an analysis done by the Safai Karamchari Andolan, the average life expectancy of a sanitation worker is less than 50 years and those involved in manual scavenging is less than 40 years.
In several cases, sanitation workers are employed without any formal paperwork, which means that they are often not eligible for any employee benefits. Stories of wage theft and contractors swindling them are commonplace.
Many of the sanitation workers often don’t have proper identifications and without that, they are not eligible for any benefit schemes run by state or central governments. This also means that there are no real numbers because many are not registered in any official records.
Perhaps the biggest problem lies with the sanitation workers in India not being aware of their own rights - because they are often uneducated, exploited by contractors and employers, and suppressed by those around them, they are unable to access even basic rights that the Constitution of the country provides every citizen.

What Needs to be Done and What Is Being Done Already

Without a doubt, sanitation workers are the heroes of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and there is an urgent need to give them the standing and the rights that they deserve.

Depending on the types of sanitation workers and the work they are expected to do, they need to be provided with the necessary tools and equipment and more importantly, they need to be given protective gear.
Modern India no longer has space for antiquated concepts such as caste and race - everyone needs to be provided with a level playing field, which means that sanitation workers should be given opportunities to upskill, and their children be provided proper educational support.
They have to be given proper social security - this means that they need to be given proper identification and documents such as birth certificates, proof of residence, etc. This will also allow them and their dependents to apply for the various welfare schemes that are in place for them.
It is important to know that there are several schemes and acts as well as welfare organizations that are in place for sanitation workers in India; however, making them aware of the same is what matters most.

Entry of NGOs

It is in regard to the last of the above-mentioned points that the role of NGOs comes to the forefront - not only can they make the sanitation workers aware of their rights and the facilities that are actually in place for them, but also offer assistance in other ways.

By spreading a general awareness of the need to keep surroundings clean, NGOs can help reduce the burden on sanitation workers.
Several NGOs have taken up the task of helping build proper toilets, especially in rural areas and slums in urban centers. Many of them are also working in tandem with local authorities to conduct cleanliness drives.
NGOs that work with schools and youth are undertaking the task of spreading knowledge and awareness regarding proper sanitation and maintenance of hygiene.
By offering assistance in the segregation of waste at household levels, there is a further reduction of the work of sanitation workers, who might otherwise have to manually segregate the same. In several urban locations, segregation of wet and dry waste has become mandatory.

NGOs Doing Exemplary Work

While there are several NGOs that have a clear understanding of why are sanitation workers important, here are just a few of them that are trying to improve the life of this often-neglected section of society:

GenRobotic Innovations: This Thiruvananthapuram-based robotics company might not be your traditional NGO, but the work that it has been doing is closely associated with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and saving the lives of countless manhole cleaning workers. Bandicoot, a robotic device created by them can clean out manholes and this has brought about a significant impact because human beings no longer have to enter the manholes themselves. Similarly, their Wilboar is also a device that can help clear out sludge from confined spaces, such as sewers.
The We Foundation: From helping construct toilets to helping promote Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural as well as urban centers, The We Foundation is deeply involved with WASH too. The Right to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene is a program that is ingrained with the goals of the central government and the volunteers have been spreading information and awareness about closed toilets and the need to use them.
WASH Institute: The Water Sanitation and Hygiene Institute is yet another organization that has recognized the work of sanitation workers and works towards improving their lives and working conditions. Their work in the domain of effective sewage disposal and helping with the construction of proper toilets has been extremely helpful.
Financial Inclusion Improves Sanitation And Health Society: Also known as FINISH, this NGO is based out of Lucknow and works towards improving the conditions of sanitation and hygiene all over the country. Not only have they helped build several toilets, but also helped facilitate proper sanitation systems in more than 11 lakh homes. Their most important work, especially in terms of sanitation workers, has to be their efforts in more effective solid waste management.
Safai Karmachari Andolan: This is a movement, which aims to convert itself into a revolution and earn the true rights of sanitation workers, particularly manual scavengers. Started by someone who was born into a family of manual scavengers, this organization aims at removing manual scavenging completely. They also work towards the rehabilitation of manual scavengers and provide education to the children of such workers.