KOCHI: Shoving aside guidelines and court directives, migrant workers — mostly from Tamil Nadu — are still being employed to manually remove filth from drains and canals in Kochi without adequate safety gear. In order to prevent water logging in the city’s canals and drains during the monsoons, the Kochi Corporation commenced cleaning operations a few weeks ago.
At many places, workers are seen using their bare hands to remove clogged-up waste — mostly silt, construction materials, plastic scrap and bottles. Notably, even many sanitation workers who clear the garbage, including bio waste, from the city streets do not have adequate protective gear such as a mask or gloves.
We spot a contract worker clearing garbage using surgical gloves that do not fit the purpose. “I purchased it from a medical shop, as the corporation did not provide any protective gear,” she says, showing us a bag filled with broken glass, callously dumped on the roadside.
When prodded on the issue, a corporation official washes his hands of the muck. “The cleaning contract has been awarded to individuals in various divisions under the corporation,” he says. “The supply of tools and safety equipment, etc., is the responsibility of the contractor.
They have to manage it.” There are also instances of workers not using the safety gear that is provided to them. That, however, highlights the need for authorities to raise awareness about hygiene and health risks among the workers who toil to keep our city clean.