PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has issued a notice to SWaCH, one of the agencies that collect garbage from houses, asking them to take adequate measures to ensure the safety and welfare of its workers.

The health department of the civic body sent the notice early this
month after it received a complaint from Raju Savale, vice-president,
environment, Pimpri Chinchwad unit of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The PCMC notice has stated that an on-site verification showed that the
agency does not provide facilities to its workers.

Drivers of
the garbage collection trucks are not given salaries as per the minimum
wages rule. They are not given medical care if they sustain injuries and
they work without weekly holidays.

The employees who collect
garbage do not have uniforms, raincoats, gloves or masks. They are not
given provident fund or other insurance scheme benefits.

The
PCMC has directed the agency to follow the directives and the conditions
in the agreement between corporation and the agency.Shabana
Diler, chief executive officer of SWaCH, said, “We have replied to the
notice of the health department.” Diler refused to give more details.

SWaCH collects 250 tonne garbage from about 2.5 lakh houses.Garbage from the remaining 2.5 lakh houses in the city is collected by another agency.

PCMC has provided 110 hopper rickshaws with two separate compartments
for dry and wet garbage to collect garbage dumped at designated sites.
However, as garbage segregation is not done at source, mixed garbage is
collected in the rickshaws and segregated by the employees later.