The Hindu : New Delhi News : Ragpickers want an identity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 03, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Ragpickers want an identity

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, NOV. 2. A delegation of about 250 ragpickers and civil society activists today visited the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, and submitted a memorandum to her. The list of demands includes formal recognition for the "city segregators and recyclers through identity cards and caps''. They have also asked for acknowledgement of waste picking and waste trading as a profession and social security schemes for those involved in the sector. A space for sorting out waste into sub-categories, access to water for washing hands and drinking purposes near the place of work, permission to use cycle rickshaws for transporting waste and access to waste, instead of being told to keep away from it are also included.

The memorandum also highlighted the need to spread awareness among civil society and agencies such as Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and police about those involved in the sector. "This sector has about a lakh of people involved in it. Their situation is very vulnerable. They are an informal sector and many times even denied access to their source of livelihood -- waste. And though they are an important part of the entire waste management chain, they are treated as dirty people and looked down upon,'' said Moushumi Ghosh of Chintan.

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