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Rag pickers protest privatisation agreement

Staff Reporter

Cycle rally in the Capital on World Environment Day today

NEW DELHI: They are perhaps the biggest contributors in keeping the city clean. Saving the Municipal Corporation of Delhi about Rs. 6 lakh each day segregating garbage, a group of rag pickers are hoping to make their presence felt this World Environment Day.

With no fancy designations to describe what they do, they are still waiting to be recognised for the difference they make environmentally.

"A group of rag pickers is going to participate in a cycle rally to highlight the impact that privatisation of waste management in Delhi has had on them. They have also been given a tentative appointment with Mayor Arti Mehra so that they can explain their situation to her,'' said a Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group official.

While rag pickers have been an essential part of the waste disposal cycle, with privatisation of collection of waste by the MCD they have been left out completely. With no other source of income, they are being further pushed to the margins. Apart from the important issue of livelihood for the rag pickers, the privatisation of waste in the Capital leaves a lot to be desired in environment terms, according to activists. Raising essential questions Chintan prepared a report card on privatisation of waste so far. "As per the privatisation agreement that has been signed for nine years between the MCD and the Delhi Waste Management (DWM), the latter has to segregate only 20 per cent of the waste from the eighth year onwards. This leads to increased dumping of waste in the landfills and more pollution,'' claimed an official from Chintan.

The informal waste-recycling sector of Delhi segregates 9 per cent to 59 per cent of waste. The report card also highlights the serious lack of space as the National Capital Region needs 28 sq. km of landfill space till the year 2021 and 100 sq. km by 2050 at the approximate cost of Rs. 800 crore for 2021.

"About 75 per cent of the waste-pickers from the privatised zones have lost 50 per cent of their income due to privatisation in spite of the provision that the private company will employ the informal waste collectors,'' said the official.

The rag pickers will also submit a memorandum to the Mayor demanding a right over waste.

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