[Reader-list] Deprived, sweepers seek permission for mass suicide!

[Wali Arifi]

A look at this too...


http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Deprived--sweepers-seek-permission-for-mass-suicide/380699



Deprived, sweepers seek permission for mass suicide



Express News Service

Posted: Nov 03, 2008 at 0247 hrs IST



Ahmedabad, November 2: Sweepers from the Valmiki and Dalit community of
Gandhinagar have written to the President of India, Pratibha Patil,
requesting her to permit them to commit mass suicide.



Deprived of proper wages, housing, sanitation and other basic amenities,
about 35 sweepers have signed the petition for mass self-immolation.



There are 164 manual scavengers in the city. Out of these, 94 are on record,
whereas 70 nameless labourers have been working in the capital city since
1992. These workers earn Rs 30 per day and work for 8-10 hours instead of
the promised four hours of work.



After repeated appeals to the state government, the workers started a
campaign in August this year to protest against the injustice being done to
them.



As many as 94 labourers have been involved in this campaign, but it has had
little impact on the government.



The workers have been toiling hard for years to manage two meals a day and
educate their children.