WARANGAL: Woman empowerment is not just about securing jobs and becoming self-sufficient, it is also about taking up those ‘challenges’ that the patriarchal world believes can only be performed by men.
‘The list of do’s, don’ts and taboos for women who wish to work’ is slowly becoming irrelevant -- especially among those who belong to the minority castes.
When 22-year-old Dasari Sravani married Dasari Anjaiah two years ago, she, like many others, would have never thought that one day she would be taking up a profession that is presumed to be men’s domain -- septic tank cleaning.
Sravani’s husband and other members of his family have been making their living by cleaning septic tanks with the help of septic tank cleaning vehicles. Now, Sravani has not only joined them, but has also secured official license from the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) to carry on the process of collection and transportation of septic tank waste legally in the city.
Speaking to Express, Sravani said that she does not feel like she made a mistake by choosing that profession as it is providing her a decent income.
“I do not regret my decision. This job has not only helped me in supporting my family, but has also given me self-confidence,” she said. According to Administrative Staff College of India team leader Raj Mohan Reddy, Sravani is doing a really good job and she could inspire more women to take up the work. “We want more women to operate septic tank vehicles and become self-sufficient,” he said.