CUTTACK: The ragpickers’ rehabilitation programme initiated by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) four years back is yet to be implemented in the city.
The CMC has abandoned the programme after identifying and issuing temporary identity cards to only 45 ragpickers.
As per the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, the CMC in 2016 had initiated a step to maintain cleanliness in the city by involving ragpickers in the sanitation drive.
The ragpickers are mostly unorganised labour class community and highly stigmatised, but they play a vital role in respect of maintaining cleanliness in cities, towns and also in rural areas by collecting solid waste regularly.
Most of the times, they are being humiliated by the residents and commuters while collecting solid waste.
Considering their problems, the civic body had decided to identify them and issue identity cards linked with their Aadhaar numbers.
The civic body had also planned to provide gloves, cleanliness jackets to ragpickers for safe and proper handling of waste.
There were also plans to provide healthcare service to their families by organising health camps and upgrade their skills under Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM). But these plans are yet to be implemented.
On December 2, 2016, the civic body had conducted a meeting with ragpickers and issued temporary identity cards to 45 of them.
Since then no step has been taken to implement other welfare programmes for them.
“Engaging ragpickers in waste and garbage disposal will keep the city clean and ensure social security and recognition to the profession of the marginal community,” said a local. The CMC Commissioner, however, could not be available to comment on the issue.