‘Fight to karna hi hai…khud ke liye nahi to public ke liye’
By Prachi Desai
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers can be spotted from afar across Colaba during the mornings every day. Dressed in khaki uniforms, they can be seen scattered around the precinct early morning cleaning the streets and collecting garbage.
While most of Colaba is yet to wake up, BMC Sweeper Sameer Waghavale leaves from his Mankhurd home every day at 5 am to reach his workplace in Colaba. He resumes work at 6.30 am to embark on a routine that hasn’t changed in the seven years of service. Now, with the lockdown, the trains being shut and bus service (for essential service providers) irregular, he prefers to ride down on a two-wheeler to start work on time. “I have not taken any holiday since the lockdown, just like all my colleagues. Our work is very important even if people don’t understand.”
Indravati Hadale, who works the same street on the same shift as Sameer, took her husband’s 'position' when he died 12 years ago. Since the lockdown was clamped down, she has been reporting daily even when her friends and acquaintances in the BMC chawl dissuaded her to go. “My shift ends at 1.30 pm so it’s not that bad but many BMC employees have been working over-time to make up for the shortage of staff.”
While most of Colaba is yet to wake up, BMC Sweeper Sameer Waghavale leaves from his Mankhurd home every day at 5 am to reach his workplace in Colaba. He resumes work at 6.30 am to embark on a routine that hasn’t changed in the seven years of service. Now, with the lockdown, the trains being shut and bus service (for essential service providers) irregular, he prefers to ride down on a two-wheeler to start work on time. “I have not taken any holiday since the lockdown, just like all my colleagues. Our work is very important even if people don’t understand.”
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| BMC sweepers Mankhurd-based Sameer Waghavale with Indravati Hadale arrive early to start work at Colaba Market |
Sweeper Gajendra Chandorkar, employed with the BMC since 2007, worked throughout the lockdown. The Machimar Nagar-resident Gajendra, who lives with wife Neelam and five-year-old son Sarthak, has been cleaning the streets of Colaba for the last four years. He diligently works during his shift from 6.30 am till 1.30 pm now for months on end.
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| BMC Sweeper Gajendra Chandorkar worked diligently throughout the lockdown. In happier days, with wife Neelam and son Sarthak (Below) |
Fortunately, his mother and a handicapped elder brother were in their native village in Raigad when the lockdown was announced and stayed there throughout the period. During the lockdown, after Gajendra would return home in the day at noon, his wife Neelam would
leave for work at G T Hospital where she works in the Case Paper
department. Son Sarthak, all of five, was cooperative and understanding. "Everytime we'd return from work, he would stay away as told, till we took our bath and cleaned up. We were overwhelmed by his so-mature behavior even at such a tender age," recalls Gajendra.
"I recall everyone being scared throughout the lockdown. Why, even I would be petrified to meet people too," he says. "People would be scared to come close to sweepers or even talk to BMC workers as they would be directly dealing with waste and garbage, for fear of contracting coronavirus," maintains Gajendra.
And, among all others, there’s one category of BMC workers whose work almost always goes unrecognised. That BMC security personnel who guards BMC buildings such as hospitals, clinics, shelters and other structures like Vijay Deep resident Dilip Andhale.
Andhale, a BMC security guard, has been serving the municipality for 25 years. Currently deployed at the municipal clinic in Colaba Market, he has been working round the clock hour daily as his co-workers are stuck in their villages following the lockdown. His own family is held up in Nashik, their hometown, following a routine familial visit owing to the sudden lockdown.
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| Vijaydeep resident and BMC Security personnel Dilip Andhale hasn't gone home for over a week now as he works at the Colaba Market BMC dispensary |
“I sleep here only…at the clinic. In fact, I was deputed at Kasturba Hospital also for some time after the Coronavirus outbreak,” he says speaking of the risks, security personnel are exposed to. “Fight to karna hi hai…khud ke liye nahi to public ke liye.” His only complaint is people don’t understand the importance of social distancing. And that we couldn’t help agreeing with.
BMC Sweeper Rupesh Bhagat who works around Strand is, reportedly, never late for work despite travelling to Colaba all the way from his home in Mumbra, Thane. Cleaning the streets at Strand, Rupesh works diligently, day after day, despite the Coronavirus risks ensuring the area stays clean.
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| BMC Sweeper Rupesh Bhagat working in the by lanes of Strand area |
It is important to keep the workers positive, motivated and safe especially amid the Coronavirus outbreak. Most BMC employees, like other essential service providers, have been relying on the BEST intercity bus service that ply on the roads only for people involved in essential services and discharging essential duties. Bus drivers and conductors continue to remain at high risk just like other essential service providers and extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and other contagious diseases.
But, oddly, nobody’s complaining. And, why not. After all, this time the duty is for a national cause!
(Note: Some subjects may have removed their masks only to be identified in photographs to be used with this news report. COVID-19 appropriate behaviour has been maintained at all times)
