Fire is half of faith. Those who advocate and practice cleanliness are certainly worthy of respect, but in our society, the workers of cleanliness, whether they are government employees or private ones, face unfair treatment.
Javed Masih is carrying out his duties as a sanitary worker in the Faisalabad West Management Company. Despite limited resources, he has ensured a quality education for his children. After dedicating over forty valuable years of his life to the sanitation department, Javed Masih is now disillusioned. He says that from youth to old age, instead of appreciation for his efforts to clean the streets, he has received nothing but discrimination from society.
One of Javed Masih's daughters has completed her MBA, while his son is a graduate
However, despite their qualifications, they have not yet found any government jobs. Javed says that when a senior officer retires, they are given an honorable send-off, and their children are often offered employment. But when people like us lose their jobs, the doors of the department are closed to us the very next day. People are not even willing to talk to the children of sanitary workers about employment opportunities.
The language barrier is a challenge for individuals associated with sanitation work in Punjab. According to Abrar Sahotra, President of the United Labor and Staff Union, accurate figures regarding individuals associated with sanitation in Punjab are not available. In some districts, sanitation workers are under the management of Waste Management Companies, while in others, they are under Municipal Corporations and Town Committees. This disparity has led to neither the formation of a service structure for them nor the announcement of any development projects.
Waste Management Companies try to hire more workers on a daily wage basis to ensure they are not entitled to benefits. In Faisalabad West Management Company, approximately 600 employees work on daily wages. If a daily wage worker takes a leave even on Sunday, their wages are deducted. Even in case of illness, individuals associated with sanitation work do not have the right to leave, forcing most of them to work out of compulsion. Regardless of weather conditions or health issues, individuals associated with sanitation work continue to work, yet the government treats them indifferently.
Non-payment of wages on time at the occasion of holidays
Aamir Rehmat, General Secretary of the Republic Workers Union, states that individuals associated with sanitation work are hired on a fourth-tier basis and retire after working their entire lives in the fourth tier. They receive lower wages compared to employees of other departments. Additionally, Waste Management Companies prefer to hire individuals on daily wages for sanitation work, resulting in lower wages for them. According to employees of FWMC, Mehbub Gul and Roshan Masih, despite working diligently and honestly, they do not receive their wages on time. Since they started working in sanitation, it's rare for them to receive their wages on the first of the month; sometimes, they receive them as late as the 10th of the month.
Dignity and social behavior.
If cleanliness is considered half of faith in Islam, then why is there hatred towards those who clean? This is a question often asked by individuals associated with the profession of sanitation. It is a fact that in our society, sanitation workers are treated with discrimination, which not only hurts their self-esteem but also breaks their hearts.
Haneefa Bibi has been working as a sanitary worker for over twenty years. She says that she is often hired for cleaning at weddings and other events, and while she receives extra money for it, her heart breaks when she is given food in disposable plates instead of utensils, which causes her a lot of distress. But what can one do? Providing for oneself and one's children is necessary, so patience and gratitude must be practiced for whatever is received and however it is received.
Javed Sindhu, who is also associated with sanitation work, has a similar complaint against society. Javed Sindhu says that when they are at work and feel thirsty, they cannot even find water in a glass. If they ask someone for water, they are handed a bottle and told to drink water with their hands down. Due to such incidents, their hearts cry tears of blood
Sanitation workers are subjected to mocking titles like "Chowdhra" and "Bhangi," which not only ridicule them but also evoke feelings of hatred towards them. Journalist Asif Aqeel remarks that in the Punjab region, the caste-based system has prevailed for a long time, which has led to sanitation workers being considered inferior. They have been labeled with derogatory terms that undermine their social status. However, with time, there is improvement in this regard. Now, terms like "sanitary workers" and "health workers" are being used for sanitation workers, and societal attitudes are also changing to some extent.
Former Punjab Assembly member Meri Gill has initiated a movement called "Sweepers Are Heroes" for sanitary workers and sweepers. Meri Gill says that it is extremely distressing that those who maintain cleanliness and save us from diseases and viruses are not appreciated but rather looked down upon. When this movement was started, those associated with sanitation work hesitated to join us, but now they not only participate in our movement but also share their pictures.
Necessary steps for the betterment of sanitation workers
The government should immediately establish a service structure for individuals associated with sanitation work, taking into account their difficulties. Throughout the country, individuals associated with sanitation work should be placed under the administration of a single department or authority so that they can receive equal wages and benefits. There should be a restriction on hiring for daily wages in sanitation work. By giving special service status to the duty of individuals associated with sanitation work and providing them with risk and health allowances, not only can their financial situation improve but also the social discrimination they face can be eliminated.
Government negligence
It is extremely distressing that neither do any government departments have accurate information about individuals associated with the sanitation profession, nor is any department willing to take responsibility for this matter. Despite contacting various departments to obtain information, no department provided accurate information. In fact, requests sent under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to the Punjab government, Municipal Corporations, and the Social Welfare Department, among others, were not even responded to.
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