Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday said that the national capital was the first state to ban manual scavenging, henceforth, no ‘safai karmachari’ (cleaning staff) would be deployed for scavenging as it was fatal.
Dikshit was speaking at the Swabhiman Diwas celebrations organised by the Delhi Commission for ‘Safai Karamcharis’ at Vigyan Bhawan. “The government is committed to raise the status of ‘Safai Karamcharis’ and provide them with amenities as per the service rules. We have to modernise their working facilities and provide them proper training. The government has upgraded their status from unskilled to skilled labour to enable them to get more wages,” Dikshit said.
Delhi Commission for Safai Karmacharis Chairman Harnam Singh said the commission office has been computerised and a toll-free helpline (1800 1120 21 )was also put into service. The commission is also offering scholarship to the wards of Safai Karamcharis and shelter for Safai Karamcharis.