When the pandemic struck, at the frontline of the battle were health workers, police and teachers. Not many counted the contribution from sanitation workers, security guards, delivery agents, logistic staff who ensured that essential services remained normal. For these unsung warriors, there was no ‘work from home’ option.
For 41-year K Eesar Amma, the outbreak of coronavirus was just an altered situation on duty. A sweeper at Jeypore Municipality in Koraput district for eight years, the sudden surge in use and disposal of masks and gloves and other medical waste were a little unsettling for her. But for Eesar, it was not just a question of livelihood but also a sense of duty.
Widowed at an early age and left to fend for her children, Eesar first used to clean verandahs of shops for a living until a contractor hired her to work for the municipality. She was given the task of cleaning streets for`8,000 per month. Ever since, she has been one of the most sincere workers among the sanitation staff.
As the pandemic hit and disinfection drives became the norm, Eesar was given the additional duty to clean the temporary medical centre (TMC) near the Covid hospital. For three months, she was in charge of cleaning the premises of the TMC which was later converted to a Covid Care Centre (CCC).
“There’s anxiety, of course. It seems like a sudden switch to a different world. People are falling sick. Many are dying. But I have been working here for almost a decade. How can I just leave? It’s my job and I prefer to do it with integrity,” says the 41-year-old who lives with her son, daughter-in-law, two daughters and a son-in-law at Narayan Tota Sahi in Jeypore. Her son Prabhu too works as a sanitation worker, de-silting drains and collecting garbage from door to door.
What prompted her to agree to clean an area where exposure risk to the virus was high? “What’s more life threatening than hunger and poverty? I have seen worse days. This job has given me a decent life and I am grateful for it. I am part of the system and if asked to do a particular work, it is my duty to do it,” she says. Her life philosophy is clear and elevating.
From May till July, Eesar along with a fellow worker cleaned the toilets, rooms and outdoor premises of the Covid centre twice a day for which they were promised an additional `200 per day.
But the dues haven’t been paid yet. That, however, does not deter her from performing her duty. And neither does detection of coronavirus cases in her neighbourhood. Eesar ensures she and her son wear masks, gloves and wash their hands at regular intervals. “Before entering our house, we wash our hands and legs with warm water and never step out without masks”, she says.
Fear, she says, should never be a stumbling block either in life or in the line of duty. “To survive, we must do whatever we can and do it with honesty,” she says in a firm tone.
Sanitation supervisor of Jeypore Municipality P Jagdishwar Rao vouches for Eesar’s commitment to work. Of all the workers, she is one of the most sincere ones, he says, adding that despite the environment of fear, she didn’t flinch even once when she was given the duty to clean the Covid centre inside out.
“Her dues will be processed soon. What is heartwarming is that she works with a sense of community. We need more workers like her,” he says.