The Hindu : New Delhi News : Rag-pickers to get a healthy look

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Rag-pickers to get a healthy look

Staff Reporter

Govt. to provide them with gloves, shoes etc.

They will be trained in waste segregation
Measures to handle waste in a safe manner

NEW DELHI: The Capital’s 3.5 lakh rag-pickers will soon get gloves, shoes, aprons and face-masks as part of a Delhi Government programme to provide them social security and measures to handle waste in a safe manner, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced at a training programme on waste management on Tuesday.

During the programme, organised by the Delhi Government along with three non-government organisations, some rag-pickers were presented with this protective clothing and the need for preserving their health was underlined.

Ms. Dikshit said her Government had planned a scheme titled “Involvement of weaker sections of society in improvement and up-gradation of the environment” under which rag-pickers will be trained in segregation and disposal of waste. Moreover, they would also be provided with social security, health facilities and measure for handling waste safely.

The Government would be involving schools and residents’ welfare associations in the programme that is expected to go a long way in safeguarding the health of rag-pickers since they are often exposed to hazardous substances while segregating and picking waste.

The Chief Minister asserted that adequate funds would be released for securing and providing the protective gear to the rag-pickers.

Delhi Industry Minister Mangat Ram Singhal said there was also an urgent need to identify and allocate community places near jhuggi clusters so that the rag-pickers are able to store their belongings there since this would help in protecting the jhuggi clusters from harmful waste material.

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