Peerzada Arshad Hamid

Srinagar

Contrary to the trend of lower caste families engaged or entrusted with the job of cleaning the drains carrying city sewerage, in Kashmir the job is carried out by the people mostly from the families other than low caste.

People who readily take up this job cite the limited employment avenues available in the state as the reason. Although most of the workers are suffering from diseases due to the nature of job- cleaning sewerage- these people (most of them who are engaged as daily-wagers) don't get any insurance or health benefits for carrying out the hazardous job.

So far many people among this assimilated community have died either due to chest related diseases like asthma or leakage of gases from the drains, or by accident. No figures are readily available with the officials in this regard.

"Most of the people who work as sewerage workers are daily-wagers. If any untoward happens department has no responsibility. Now if a permanent employee dies, we appoint his kin under SRO-43 (a government order)," said an official at Urban Environment and Engineering Development (UEED),

Srinagar on the condition of anonymity.

However the sewerage workers cite many examples where in they have seen their colleagues dying either due to leakage of gases or diseases.

The major problem with the sewerage workers in Kashmir is that they don't have any union and all the sewerage workers do not fall under the purview of one department.

"There are sewerage workers with City Civil, Mechanical Division of UEED, Sewerage and Drainage, Srinagar Municipal Coorporation and Lakes and Waterways Development Authority. We are not united that is why we suffer," said Bashir Ahmad Dar, a sewerage worker in Srinagar.

Mohammed Sultan Gannie is a sewerage worker at Sewerage and Drainage station Batamaloo .Earlier there were 18 people on duty at the station to cater to the area spread over around seven miles. Now it has dwindled to mere five.

So far he is witness to death of six of his colleagues because of the bad working conditions. All of them were aged between 30 -50 years, says Gannie. One of his colleagues died due to electric shock while cleaning the drain.

"I joined the department in 1986 and so far I remember six of my colleagues who died during the service period. I can even give you the names. I still remember when one of our colleagues lifted the rod from inside the main hole, it touched the live electric wire and he died on spot because of the electric shock," said Gannie.

All the sewerage workers disclosed that they are suffering from various diseases.

"I have seen hardly anyone who retires. Most of us die while on duty either due to accidents or due to diseases," laments Mohammed Ismail Khan, an aged sewerage worker, who was diagnosed Asthama sometime back.

The workers allege that department don't provide them the required equipment, uniform, medicine or insurance cover for their work, an allegation rejected by the officials. "We receive separate funds for the equipment and uniform of the sewerage workers and handover same to them twice in a year," said a Junior Engineer at Sewerage and Drainage division, Srinagar. However the official remained from giving the annual budget spent on the equipment and uniform.

Contrary to the official claims, this reporter found the sewerage workers in civvies inside the drains. "For the last two years I have requisitioned almost 100 times for the equipment but to no avail," said Mohammed Ismail Khan.

Most of the people taking this job belong to poor families for what they say is a 'government service', a preference in today's Kashmir

.

33-year-old Ghulam Mohammed Sofi was forced to take this job after his father Abdul Gani Sofi died due to electric shock while cleaning the drain.

"I had to forcibly accept the job after my father died during an accident. I am suffering from chest diseases and doctor many a time advised me to leave the job, in case I want to recover.

I as the elder son in the family had to support a large family that is why I joined the job," said Sofi.

"If you will take any of us for the medical check-up, you will come to know that all of us are patients," he adds.

Most of the beats where sewerage workers remain available in Srinagar are today understaffed. As per official estimates provided by Srinagar Municipal Coorporation, city requires 1000 sewerage workers for maintaining its drains, against which there are only services of 300 people available. Officials believe that Srinagar city's sewerage and drainage is maintained by some divine force-God.

Officials even pointed out that they don't have modern technology available to clean the drains but rely on the traditional crude methods that often are hazardous and risk prone.

"Let me first tell you that it's God who runs it, otherwise there are no chances. I remember last year two sewerage workers working with LAWDA died when they tried to enter the drain at Hazratbal. We don't have enough staff and the modern technology in hand," said an Officer at Srinagar Municipal Coorporation, Srinagar.

Since the concerned departments do not employ adequate staff and provide them with the facilities, of late a trend of inviting tenders for cleaning drains have been started. The    agencies involved with the clearing of sewerage engage contractors who in turn get the services of labourers mostly sweepers to clean the drains. As per rough estimates some Rs 60 lac to Rs 1 crore is spent annually on cleaning the drains by inviting the tenders.

"Government departments prefer working with contractors over employing new staff or switching over to modern technology. For it fetches them money and relieves them of their responsibility towards the sewerage worker, whose life remains at stake," said an official at UEED.

However Srinagar Muncipal Safaiwalla and Mashkees workers Union, an organisation working to protect the interests of sweeper community, a scheduled tribe often regarded as lower caste strongly opposes the government move of cleaning the drains mannually. Its Chairman, Sheikh Mohammed Syed says that he can not allow the sweepers to clean the deep drains as it is risk prone.

"Earlier prior to the formation of union some officials were forcing our community members to do the job but now we protest it and never do such harzadous jobs. I know they have employed some people from outside sweeper's community to do this job," said Sheikh.