Mysore/Mysuru: Karnataka Safai Karmachari Commission has directed the concerned authorities to directly credit the wages of Pourakarmikas serving in all local bodies, to their respective bank account every month without delay.

Addressing a virtual meeting with officials from various departments across the State here yesterday, the Commission Chairman Kote M. Shivanna instructed the officials to implement a 19-point charter list containing the facilities and benefits for Pourakarmikas. Highlighting that UGD workers, scavengers and other cleaning staff should be provided with safety gadgets and wears, he said that officials must provide drinking water and identify appropriate spots for Pourakarmikas to                                    have breakfast.

Maintaining that it is mandatory to provide PPE kits to all Pourakarmikas who are engaged in collecting waste from homes of COVID infected patients who are under home isolation, Shivanna said that it is important to provide safety gadgets to other cleaning staff as well.

Pointing out that a medical test must be conducted on all cleaning staff and Pourakarmikas once in a fortnight in order to keep a tab on their health, he said that the district administration should take measures for treatment of those Pourakarmikas who test positive for the deadly Coronavirus. Also, the authorities must consider reducing working hours for Pourakarmikas in the wake of surge in COVID cases, he added.

He further said that Health Inspectors, Environment Engineers, Social Welfare Department officials and other concerned officials should take responsibilities for ensuring that all Pourakarmikas serving in local bodies get statutory benefits in this hour of  COVID crisis.

 Meanwhile C.R. Rachaiah, Member of District Safai Karmachari Vigilance Committee, has sought the intervention of M. Shivanna for the release of wages of Pourakarmikas and other cleaning staff serving in rural local bodies, who have not been paid wages for the past 3-4 months.