Covid-19: GHMC compels sanitisation workers to pick garbage without safety gear

In a recent study it was known that the garbage bins became the breeding ground for spreading Covid-19. Although certain care has see taken by the state heath department in minimising the trash cans, the tidiness and safety gear requirement by sanitisation workers tend to be overlooked.

The sanitization labourers of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) keep on lifting homegrown waste with their uncovered hands, during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. As of now, more than 3,000 Covid-positive patients are under home isolation in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal Malkagiri areas of Greater Hyderabad. There are around 24,000 sterilization workers in the city.

GHMC allocated few dumping points with blue garbage bins for many colonies at street corners. The containers were lifted utilizing a jib connected to the tipper without manual intercession. As indicated by the authorities, the agreement for wastage removal is currently assigned to Ramky Enviro Engineers firm, which has not started the work, so the laborers are being compelled to lift squander, decaying waste in including diapers, syringes of patients using bare hands.

The corporation is not even helping us with proper masks and gloves,” a sanitation worker complained.

While GHMC officials assured that once the deal with Ramky Enviro Engineers firm is over, garbage will be cleared twice or thrice a day in the city.