Sanitation workers to get Rs 1 crore accident insurance cover: Shersingh Dagor

During a visit to Chandrapur, Shersingh Dagor, chairman of the Maharashtra State Safai Karmachari Commission, gave important directions on the rights of sanitation workers. At a meeting held at the Niyojan Bhavan hall, he directed the administration to resolve the problems of sanitation workers with sensitivity and on priority. The meeting held detailed discussions on the workers' wages, health and insurance cover.

Dagor said sanitation workers are an integral and important part of society, and they look after the health of society while bearing many difficulties and health risks. He said officers and staff should be conscious of this contribution and resolve their issues with sensitivity. The meeting at Niyojan Bhavan, held to review various issues concerning sanitation workers, was attended by District Collector Vasumana Pant, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Akunuri Naresh, Municipal Administration Officer Dr Vidya Gaikwad, Umesh Pipre and Sunil Tambe, along with officials from various departments.

Dagor noted that the major responsibility for the city's overall cleanliness rests on the shoulders of sanitation workers. These workers provide continuous service at very low wages while facing various illnesses and health risks. He said if sanitation workers are not at work, it directly affects the city's cleanliness and public health, and every officer and employee should keep in mind the importance of their work.

Referring to the service rendered by sanitation workers during the COVID period, Dagor said these workers served without concern for their own lives in extremely difficult circumstances. When the relatives of many families were far away, it was sanitation workers who carried out the last rites of the dead. He said the administration should work with greater sensitivity to resolve their difficulties and make concrete efforts to raise their standard of living, keeping this contribution in mind. He also directed that a separate nodal officer be appointed to regularly follow up on pending issues concerning sanitation workers and resolve them within a fixed time, with all concerned departments working in coordination to settle these issues on time.

Dagor said the state government is conscious of the welfare of sanitation workers, and under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, several important decisions have been taken in their interest. However, he noted that the implementation of the recommendations of the Lad-Page Committee does not appear to have been carried out with seriousness in some places, and said pending matters in this regard should be taken up urgently and settled as per rules.

Saying that regular health checkups for sanitation workers are extremely necessary, Dagor said the concerned agencies should ensure that they receive insurance cover, minimum wages and other due facilities on time. He directed that the necessary steps be taken so that sanitation workers receive health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh, and insurance cover of Rs 1 crore in the event of accidental death, through the same bank via which their wages are paid.

Saying it is necessary to appoint sanitation workers in numbers proportionate to the population, Dagor directed the concerned agencies to urgently prepare a plan to provide housing to eligible sanitation workers under the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Shramsaphalya Yojana. He also said that government schemes available to raise the living standards of sanitation workers should be effectively delivered to them.