Amidst the nationwide lockdown to curb the impact of the coronavirus, daily wage and contract workers have been working tirelessly to clear the garbage piles from key corners of Mumbai. Their efforts have helped maintain a clean environment despite the national lockdown.
In appreciation of their efforts, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has decided to provide a free meal for the workers as well as an additional Rs 300 per day as a bonus. This will apply to around 25,000 labourers working for the BMC, including contract workers.
A senior civic official said - “Nearly 60% of the labourers are daily reporting for work, which begins as early as 6 am and goes on till late noon. They will be given an additional Rs 300 per day and a meal.”
Adding, “Also, as the amount of garbage in the city has reduced with people being advised to stay indoors, it is a little easier to manage waste collection and keep the roads clean.”
Also Read - Coronavirus Spreads To Mumbai Slums; 4 Patients From Different Slums And Chawls Test Positive
As an additional measure to safeguard the labourers from all 24 wards handled by the BMC, special BEST buses have been deployed to drop them to and from their workplaces. This includes solid waste, water, and drainage workers.
Another official mentioned that they are now required to collect garbage in bulk from factories given that their employees are reportedly not turning up for work. On a regular day, Mumbai reportedly generates around 6,700 tonnes of garbage each day. However, on Monday, reports suggested that the city only generated 3,714 tonnes due to citywide lockdown.
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