Aged Ram Lal has no option but to stick to this job

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 13

Manual scavenger Ram Lal, a resident of Bathinda, has been doing the job fraught with risks and persons like him have no option but to continue with it.

Ram Lal, a resident of Bathinda, who has been doing labour here for the last 15 years. He hails from Lachhmangarh subdivision in Alwar district of Rajasthan and to eke out a living, he came to Bathinda and took up this job.

While other able-bodied persons doing the same job earn between Rs 350 and Rs 400, sixty-year-old Ram Lal earns only Rs 200 per day as he has grown feeble with age. The Bathinda Tribune team visited many places and found Ram Lal in the GTB Nagar, Bathinda, where he was doing labour in his house. He works under a contractor, who gives him various works.

Today, he was assigned with the task of filling a trolley with debris of a house under construction. With feeble arms and legs, he works in the sun where the day temperature reaches 40-42 degrees per day and humidity levels are too high and unacceptable.

In the beginning, Ram Lal did not share anything, but after some time, he revealed that he belonged to Rajasthan and his family had been living in Alwar district.

He has some land in Rajasthan. It is a matter of luck and he was left with no option but to do labour. He came to Bathinda 15 years ago and at present, he earns Rs 200 daily as he works with a contractor.

The payment of 200 per day is nothing as he has to spend from Rs 100 to Rs 120 daily on food. He lives on rent and finds it difficult to save a penny for a rainy day. When he returns to home in the evening, he gives it to his family.

He said other persons were earning Rs 350 per day because they are physically strong.

“He earned this amount two-three years ago, now nobody pays me more than Rs 200,” Ram Lal added.

Asked about the old age pension, he said the pension amount was not sufficient to eke out a living.