Safai Karmachari Member Jagadish Hiremani at awareness camp in city

Mysuru: “Just like soldiers who guard the nation’s borders to protect us from enemies, the Pourakarmikas, who clean the gutters in the nation’s sewage system guard people’s health and they are also in a way doing the duty of soldiers,” said National Safai Karmachari Commission Member Jagadish Hiremani.

He was speaking after inaugurating the awareness and health camp for Pourakarmikas,  organised jointly by the District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, Mysuru City Corporation and Social Welfare Department at Maharaja’s College  Centenary Hall, here on Wednesday.

The Pourakarmika community must rise to a higher level by 2020.  In this direction, the Central Government has come out with a five-point plan and directed all the State Governments to implement them without fail. They are: Pourakarmikas’ jobs must be made permanent (till then they must be paid salaries directly), must be provided with own houses, there must be compulsory health check-up every month, children of Pourakarmikas must be given education and they must be provided with self-employment. Action will be taken against officials who do not implement these five points, he said.

Pourakarmikas should not enter manholes

Hiremani, giving a call to avoid getting into the manholes at any cost asked the Pourakarmikas to make a vow to themselves that they will never enter them.

The Pourakarmikas should concentrate on taking care of their health before it fails them and go in for regular health check-up. They should also strive hard to see that their children become engineers or doctors or take up some other high-paying jobs, he advised them.

In the light of the complaints that food being served in Indira Canteens was not good, he directed the officials to see that people get quality food. Contract workers must be given one day’s leave in a month with salary and if there are problems the Pourakarmikas can directly contact him, he said and added that if the officials and contractors create problems, then action will be taken against such officials.

Individual houses

Hiremani urged the Mysuru City Corporation to provide individual permanent houses measuring 20ftx30ft or 30ftx40ft instead of group houses being provided to Pourakarmikas.

He assured that all Pourakarmikas who are working on contract basis will be made permanent by 2020 for which the Central Government will give the required assistance to all State Governments. “If you want your city to be number one, you should also provide them number one facilities,” said Hiremani.

MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag also briefed about various facilities being provided to Pourakarmikas and their family members.

On the occasion, Pourakarmikas Mahalakshmi, Marappa and Nagamma, who had been serving for 35 years, were honoured with highest achiever awards. Contract workers Mara and Shivaraju were also felicitated.

Corporators Ashwini Sharat, Health Officer Dr. D.G. Nagaraju and others were present.