Ragpickers to Chandigarh MC workers: Women to run Sector 25 facility

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, August 31

The Sector 25-based material recovery facility (MRF)-cum-garbage transfer station will now be an all-woman centre.

Around 50 women will handle works ranging from security, garbage weighing, segregating dry waste and supervision. They will work in two shifts once the facility becomes fully operational.

“Many of these women earlier used to earn their livelihood by rummaging through garbage at the Dadu Majra dumping ground. After we restricted entry to the site, these women had nowhere else to go. So, we decided to engage them here,” said MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra.

The MC chief inspected the facility and held a meeting with the women on Tuesday and encouraged them to continue working there. “One of them, a 28-year-old, has been picking up garbage at the dumping ground since she was nine,” added Mitra.

A woman worker said: “I earned my livelihood by sifting through dry garbage and selling it further. After entry to the dumping ground was restricted, I had no means of earning. I am happy to do the same job in a formal and organised manner. I can now proudly tell people in my colony that I work with the MC.”

Two garbage transfer stations are already running in the Industrial Area, Phases I and II. With Sehaj Safai Kendras (SSKs) being closed, MC’s two-bin waste vehicles are directly shifting garbage from houses and commercial spaces to these stations.

Sifted through waste at Dadu Majra

Most of them used to earn their livelihood by picking garbage at the Dadu Majra dumping ground. After entry was restricted, they had nowhere else to go. So, we decided to engage them here. — Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner