INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WASTE PICKERS

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
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Written by Special Correspondent (The Hindu)

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Country India

February 02, 2017


Check translation:
Swachh Mission: GVMC to deploy rag pickers
Written by Special Correspondent (The Hindu). The Hindu. 12/27/2016

GVMC Commissioner Harinarayanan putting an identity card around the neck of a rag picker at a programme at Gnanapuram in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo: The Hindu

Vishakhapatnam is the second city in Andhra Pradesh to issue occupational identity cards of wastepickers. Issuance of occupational identity cards is a long demand of Alliance of Indian Wastepickers and finally, with advent Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Campaign), many municipalities are issuing them. Through occupational identity cards wastepickers will be able to assess various social protection measures instituted by local, state and national governments.

Their services will be utilised for collection and segregation of waste

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner N. Harinarayanan has said measures will be taken for improvement of the living conditions of rag pickers under GVMC limits.

The Commissioner distributed identity cards to rag pickers at a programme organised at Maria Das Kalyana Mandapam at Gnanapuram here on Monday. He said the rag pickers were doing a great service to the GVMC and the public by collecting plastics from the waste at the dumping yard. They would be provided skill training to achieve the target of Swachh Bharat Mission and provided self-employment.

Mr. Harinarayanan said their services would be utilised for collection and segregation of dry and wet wastes. Plans were also on the cards to organise them into groups and provide loans to them through the ‘Subratha Swatchanda Samstha’ and steps would be taken to educate their children.

Urban Community Development (UCD) Project Director D. Srinivas said Aadhaar, Voter ID cards and pensions would be distributed to the rag pickers. Vasu of Subratha Swatchanda Samstha spoke.

Zonal Commissioner (Zone-IV) S. Ramana Murthy and Assistant Medical Officer of Health Muralimohan participated.