Barefoot waste-pickers contribute their mite to preserve environment

For them, it is a question of survival. For others, individuals or organisers of social, religious or political functions, it is just another unneeded object that you dispose of.

Rag-pickers or waste-pickers, as they are called, are in fact unsung invisible environmentalists. They wake up much before sunrise and work as barefoot crusader with a bag on back and hook in hand, collecting waste and processing the garbage for realising a meagre value from a trader who might be turning wealthier by selling these to some manufacturer.

Lakshmi was a little reluctant to talk to this reporter, but was proud to say that she had been earning more than the teacher of a private school where her grandson studies.

“We are a group of four women who normally collect discarded plastic water bottles and disposable glasses as these are easy to process,” said Lakshmi, maintaining that venues of rallies, religious and social functions were among their priority areas for work.

Munish, another rag-picker, said he had been coordinating a group of women and children who collect artifacts from garbage dumped by sweepers of the civic body at specified places known as ‘depots’.

“Though residents are supposed to segregate garbage, they normally don’t do so and sweepers too care little about the guidelines issued by the authorities. This tendency generates livelihood for us as handpicking plastic and other non-biodegradable material eases the job of the sweepers,” said Munish, arguing that adult males normally avoid roaming in town during early hours for fear of law enforcing agencies.

There is still another category of waste-pickers who search for empty soda bottles and plastic glasses along roadside as people having fun in moving vehicles normally throw empty bottles by the roadside.

Manpreet Singh Montu, a scrap dealer, said rag-pickers and waste-pickers were regular suppliers for most dealers, purchasing single-use plastics and recyclable materials.

Lack of an organised system to support these invisible environmentalists leave them (rag-pickers ) at the mercy of buyers when it comes to the question of realising the value of collected material.

Sanitary Superintendent, MC Ahmedgarh, acknowledged that the issues related to environmental pollution and solid waste management were resolved to a great extent due to the invisible role played by rag-pickers and waste-pickers.