Reclaiming Our Lost Wages

On June 5th, World Environment Day, 6 Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) Operators, supported by Anjali Saini from Whitefield Rising, held a press meeting to discuss BBMP payments which have been pending for up to two years across 46 wards.

Operators Indumathi, Mansoor Goos, Paramesh, Nadia, Geetha, and Indira are members of Thyajya Shramika Sangha (TSS), a union of waste workers across Karnataka. Together with Swachh Eco Solutions and Gilgal Solutions (who also support several DWCCs across the city), TSS had raised a petition on Change.Org supported by over 1000 citizens to the BBMP, demanding the following:
1. Arrears of the wages are to be paid immediately
2. Provide better condition of work in DWCC – with better buildings or renovated infrastructure and fire insurance for all DWCCs
3. Regularise the payment so there is a stable income to manage the collection and processing of dry waste

DWCCs prevent waste from going to landfills and support recycling throughout the city. The operators represented that we provide a service to the city with agreed-upon payment by the BBMP, and Anjali Saini represented that the BBMP is in breach of these payments.

Representations from the operators:

“We thank BBMP for integrating us into the formal solid waste management but regular
support is missing from them. We request BBMP to support us on a regular basis, especially
the payments.”

Mansoor, DWCC Operator, Ward 168

“Before MOU was for 4 months & Payments were regular but now the MOU is for 3 years.
They are supposed to pay Rs 56,316 for the first 6 months, if the vehicle is not provided by
them then they need to pay Rs 26,316 as rent for each vehicle, but that has not happened
for months.”

Indumathi, DWCC Operator, Ward 15

“When we go to the BBMP office for payments they send us from one official to another. We
waste pickers that don’t know how to read and write; they don’t give us time. If we keep
running around like this for payment, who will go and pick up waste? Who will do the work?”

Nadiya, DWCC Operator, Ward 84

“We as a city should take responsibility. It is shameful & disgraceful that we are exploiting the
lowest of the low in society. I can vouch for these people; we have worked together and
increased dry waste collection by 300-400%. But we have BBMP on the other side who doesn’t
pay them.”

Anjali Saini, Whitefield Rising

The BBMP committed to investigating our concerns seriously and making the payments wherever pending. We will not relax our efforts until every operator is paid. It is only our relentless commitment to justice and the support of residents across the city that pays results.