Warangal: An ode to sanitation workers

Warangal: Not often a sanitation worker finds a space among plethora of inspiring stories that leave an indelible impact on the society. The times have changed. Observing the positive side of the coronavirus lockdown, people perhaps, who hitherto never had a peek into the yeoman service rendered by the sanitation workers, have now come of age.

Even though the people are feeling separated and restless waiting for the end of lockdown, they have now started to recognise the efforts of the frontline warriors especially doctors, paramedics, police and sanitation workers. At a time when people are experiencing a kind of xenophobia eying each other with suspicion due to the outbreak of coronavirus, out there in the middle are these frontline warriors fighting against the malady.

Of them all, the sanitation workers, who provide an essential public service around the world, are the least paid. Indeed, it's a service that comes at the cost of the workers' health, safety and dignity. Imagine the sanitation work that includes entering manholes and sewers to clear the clog, spraying of disinfectants, removing faecal waste etc.

Noticing the uncompromised services rendered by the sanitation workers in times of coronavirus scare, several individuals and organisations across the erstwhile Warangal district have come out to felicitate the sanitation workers. Telangana Hijra Transgender Samithi (THTS) State President Laila is one among those, who distributed essentials and also Rs 500 in cash to each sanitation worker in the 23rd Division of Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC).

Elsewhere in the 17th Division of the GWMC, the residents felicitated sanitation workers besides giving them cash rewards. The Telangana Anganwadi Teachers and Helpers Union Warangal Urban District President S Saraswathi washed the feet of sanitation workers of the 48th Division besides distributing essentials to them.

"Watching thousands of people falling like ninepins across the globe due to spine-chilling coronavirus pandemic, the denizens indeed indebted to the sanitation workers," Forum for Better Warangal President Pulluru Sudhakar told The Hans India. Once we get past the coronavirus scare, the government needs to look into the issues faced by the sanitation workers, he said.

Chief Whip D Vinay Bhaskar said: "Henceforth, the 'sanitation workers' should be called as 'sanitation soldiers'. At a time, people are scared of touching their close relatives, the sanitation wing is doing a yeoman service. They deserve the respect as much as we give to the soldiers of our country."