Unsung heroes of Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority parks

Visakhapatanm: Of late, the city’s major parks, maintained by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), are thronged by people as the parks have become lung spaces of the Port City. Apart from administration, around nine Workers’ Societies deserve a praising for maintaining clean and green parks.

Obviously, they are being paid for that have been doing, but there are number of caveats. One of such is working for seven days a week, including on public holidays. Of course, they can take a leave, but there is a price that would be deducted from their earnings.

Nearly 173 daily wage workers in nine VUDA-run parks have come together under different aegis such as Thotamali Society, Vignana Vanam Society, Pandurangapuram Society, Kailasagiri Society, Shivudu Parvathi Society, Thotlakonda Society and Tenetti Park Society on the instance of officials.

“Earlier, a directive was made to the already working labourers in the parks to form societies for maintaining the green spaces. So, workers would not face a threat over loss of livelihood. The decision is yielding good results so far,” said VUDA divisional forest officer B Raja Rao.

However, there is a lot of uncertainty in the lives of the unorganised sector workers. There is a sense of fear in them over job security.

“I have been working in the VUDA Park for the past 20 years. Lot of activities have been taken up to improve the park, but still I do not know when I would be asked to leave this job,” said Sri Ram Murthy.

The workers are being paid Rs 415 per day and taking leave for a day would follow a salary cut of that day.Recalling that they have toiled on May Day, too, another daily wage worker Appala Swamy said it was fine with them as long as the authorities take notice of their dedicated efforts.

By Y Abhishek Paul