[Reader-list] Demands of Wastepickers Addressed to Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Karnataka

[Kabir Khan]

Demands of Wastepickers Addressed to Minister of Health & Family Welfare,
Karnataka
<http://wastenarratives.com/2015/06/17/demands-of-wastepickers-addressed-to-minister-of-health-family-welfare-karnataka/>

To

Hon. Shri. U. T. Khader

Minister for Health and Family Welfare

Vikas Soudha

Government of Karnataka,

Bengaluru.

Memorandum

Wastepickers and scrap dealers are self employed workers in the informal
economy who earn their livelihood from the collection and sale of
recyclable waste. They collect discarded materials that have zero value and
convert it into a tradable commodity through their labour in
extracting/collection, sorting, grading and carrying/transporting. There
are approximately over 20,000 wastepickers and an estimated 10,000 scrap
dealers and other waste handlers in the city. Their work has ensured that
Bangalore recycles 1050 tonnes of waste saving BBMP approximately 84 crores
each year in collection and transportation of waste. These informal economy
waste workers (numbering 15000- 20000) are also among the most vulnerable
populations in the city. Most studies state that that a significant number
of waste pickers are women who belong to socially marginalized populations,
including backward castes. Further, the studies found a significant number
of young (18 to 40 years), illiterate and economically & socially
disadvantaged people engaged in waste picking in the city. In addition to
traditional waste pickers, a significant proportion of the migrant
population in the city is working with waste. The waste pickers’ access to
food, water, sanitation, housing and health facilities in the city still
remains inadequate with the situation being worst among migrant waste
pickers living in temporary settlements. The working conditions of waste
pickers are also deplorable. Safety gear is not a priority for formal
economy waste workers and in the informal economy- it is not even a
possibility. Armed only with old shoes and clothes picked out from waste
heaps and a stick to sort through trash, cuts and burns are every day
realities which over a period of time become major injuries. Health and
nutrition security is must for wastepickers to continue with the work they
are doing.

We, the members of Hasiru Dala and CCRA (Clean City Recyclers association)
representing 8000 wastepickers, itinerant waste buyers, small scrap dealers
of Bangalore city who have gathered to celebrate Hasiru Habba on 17.06.2015
ask the following:

Health security of wastepickers and scrap dealers:

   - Wastepickers need primary health care as cuts and burns are common. We
   ask for access to generic drugs at subsidised prices.
   - Establishment of dynamic centre to dispense medicine throughout the
   city.
   - Access to all health services to wastepickers at par with BPL
   families. Occupational identity card issued by BBMP can be used as the
   basis for providing such services.
   - Access to primary health care for all migrants especially wastepickers
   in residential area,
   - Expansion of RSBY to migrants wastepickers.....Continued here...
   <http://wastenarratives.com/2015/06/17/demands-of-wastepickers-addressed-to-minister-of-health-family-welfare-karnataka/>


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Regards

कबीर/کبیر

Phone:00-91-96-63-427-315
Email: kabir.postbox at gmail.com
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