It’s time for a change – to empower sweepers with fair compensation, respect and appreciation for their crucial work
Be it a simple occasion, an auspicious national event or a religious festival, everyone enjoys a holiday. But guess what? There is one community that never gets a day off—the sweepers.
We often throw waste anywhere without considering the cleanliness of the environment. We return home, take a peaceful nap, and do not bother about the consequences of polluting our surroundings. But when we wake up, we are surprised to see all the paths clean and clear. This transformation isn’t possible without the dedicated efforts of sweepers.
Sweepers put their blood, sweat, and tears into maintaining a serene environment, facing any challenge to provide us with a healthy space. They wake up early, prioritizing the well-being of others over their own. They deserve our utmost respect as the unsung heroes of our society. Whether it’s a special occasion or a religious festival, they ensure our surroundings are clean, yet their sacrifices often go unnoticed. Despite risking their health, they create pleasant environments.
Multiple independent studies have estimated that over 50 lakh sanitation workers across the country engage in sanitation work daily, out of which almost 20 lakh workers are involved in high-risk jobs. Manual scavenging still persists—these practices continue, with dry latrines being cleaned manually and men and women physically entering sewer networks and septic tanks to clear blockages despite extreme hazards and risks.
There are daily deaths, both reported and unreported, yet they never fall behind in their obligations. They perform their duties despite threats to their well-being, yet we fail to acknowledge their efforts. Sadly, they rarely receive the recognition they deserve.
If there were no sanitation workers, there would be chaos in society—the air would be polluted, vehicles would face difficulties, and health problems would worsen. The irony is that for their dangerous and high-risk work, they receive very little compensation and often suffer because of it. Sometimes, we treat them as inferiors, neglecting our duty to assist them and contribute to maintaining cleanliness.
It’s not solely their responsibility; it’s also ours to maintain a healthy and clean environment, but we rarely even bother to try. We do not follow the norms—we rarely use bins to dispose of waste. Instead, we throw it on the streets, including leftover food. Although the government has provided bins for both dry and wet waste at the doorsteps of urban households, this facility is restricted only to urban areas. In rural areas, sweepers have to visit daily to perform their duties and maintain a clean environment. Despite all their hard work, they still fall victim to various forms of violence.
I spoke to one respected sweeper about their conditions. Unfortunately, even while putting their lives at risk, they suffer abuse from the public. They highlighted that, after completing their duties, they hope for appreciation and compliments. However, instead of being appreciated, people often deliberately or unintentionally point out mistakes.
The sweepers also mentioned that people sometimes force them to clean inside their houses, although this is not part of their job. If they refuse, they are threatened with complaints to their office. The sweeper I spoke to, with a fearful face and tearful eyes, said they often have to comply with these demands, regardless of whether it is their responsibility or not. This situation shows that society is morally deteriorating.
We should realize that we are neither assisting them nor appreciating their efforts. Instead, we are increasing their workload and often trying to find faults in their work, intentionally or unintentionally. We should abide by our responsibilities and never add to their burden. Instead, we should make efforts to reduce their workload.
They undoubtedly deserve better treatment, but society’s stigma towards them creates a vicious cycle. Wherever they go—whether in public places, government departments, or elsewhere—they are often given secondary preference or completely disregarded, affecting their daily lives. Unfortunately, even their children suffer from prejudice in society, schools, and other spaces, where they are denied the freedom to live like others. Sometimes, they feel socially ostracized for no fault of their own, simply because they belong to a lower caste or are the children of sweepers. This perception is narrow-minded and does not reflect reality.
There are instances where sweepers are unable to work and clean the surroundings, so they sometimes send their family members, including young girls or wives, to fulfill the obligation. Sadly, these sacrifices often go unnoticed. They deserve appreciation from every individual in society, yet we rarely highlight their efforts.
It’s crucial to change the mindset and attitudes of society so that these workers receive the credit and dignity they deserve, just like anyone else, whether they are officers or sweepers. It’s also our moral responsibility to maintain a livable environment and encourage their work.
Let’s develop empathy towards them by creating an egalitarian atmosphere where they feel truly appreciated for their work, receive recognition, and get fair compensation. Even Mahatma Gandhi once highlighted that, under ideal conditions, a barrister and a sweeper should receive the same amount.
Let’s show them the appreciation they deserve, rather than criticizing their occasional shortcomings. Let’s recognize that it’s not just their duty, but ours as well, to keep our environment clean.
Malik Tufail
ma*************@***il.com