By Mandya City Municipal
Copyright thehindu
More than officials, it is the pourakarmikas who are responsible for making sure that our surroundings remain clean, said Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar.
Inaugurating the Pourakarmika Day organised by Mandya City Municipal Council (CMC) on Tuesday, Mr. Kumar said that salaries and other facilities provided by the government to the pourakarmikas cannot be compared to the services they render to the society.
Pointing out that the pourakarmikas discharge their duties with selflessness, Mr. Kumar said that it was the responsibility of officials to look after the welfare of sanitation workers.
Mr. Kumar advised the pourakarmikas to take care of their health while carrying out their duties. He said that sanitation workers must wear safety and protective gear along with their uniforms while on duty. The pourakarmikas should demand such safety equipment from the officials as “it was their right”, he said.
Cautioning the pourakarmikas against exerting pressure on their children to discontinue studies midway and take up the profession of a sanitation worker, Mr. Kumar said that they should rather ensure that their children receive higher education, thereby bringing them to the mainstream, and “see to it that their children become officials when they grow up”.
While pointing out that monthly meetings are held to protect the interests of pourakarmikas, Mr. Kumar said that all sanitation workers should get health insurance. Officials had been instructed to ensure health insurance and provide periodic health check-ups to the pourakarmikas, he added.
The Deputy Commissioner said that suitable measures will soon be taken to bring the remaining 32 outsourced sanitation workers under direct payment system. While 88 houses had been built under a housing scheme for the pourakarmikas, work for the construction of another 16 houses was in its final stages, he added.
Treasury officer of the Urban Development Department Narasimha Murthysaid that pourakarmikas should be aware of the facilities provided to them by the government.
Mr. Murthy urged the sanitation workers to make use of the monthly meetings to raise their issues.
The government has begun directly depositing the salaries of pourakarmikas to their accounts, as they were not receiving proper salaries, Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), and Provident Fund (PF) through contractors under the outsourced system.
Award presentation
Prizes were distributed to pourakarmikas for rendering outstanding service and to the winners of various sports competitions.
Scholarships were also presented to children of pourakarmikas pursuing higher education.
Mandya CMC President M.V. Prakash, Commissioner Pampashree, and others were present on the occasion.
