Gurgaon: Shahid Ansari, a waste collector engaged to collecting waste from Dairand Colony and Gurgaon Village, has refused to collect the non-shifting handed over by an old woman even though there was a repeat request for a few days.
“Immediately, his son broke through the house and detained me by the collar.
He also threatened me,” Ansari said.
Waste collectors, such as Ansari, are no stranger to harassment and abuse.
From the separation of waste to request residents to pay user fees, each exercise invites problems for them, they say.
On Sunday, two ecogreen waste collectors, concession holders involved by the Corporation Municipal Gurgaon (MCG) for the management of city waste, was attacked in Shivaji Nagar.
Four men have been ordered in the incident so far.
Waste pickers say such incidents have risen recently because MCG announces that only separate waste will be collected from households from November 11.
“The woman’s son threatened me to collect unthinkable waste and I was forced to do it.
However, I recorded the house number and filed a complaint to my supervisor.
Such unrighteousness has just grew lately because we have asked people to separate waste,” Ansari said to Ti.
The waste collector employed by the Ecogreen to cover the MCG area for the collection of door-to-door waste said they recently run a campaign where they distribute pamphlets that explain the rest of the waste into dry, wet and dangerous waste.
“We are responsible to our supervisor and become very difficult to make people pay users to collect the door-to-door waste.
It takes time to collect waste, save it properly in the vehicle and if we are late, residents shout at us,” said Sanjay Kumar, who collected waste from Subhash Nagar, said.
Suvendu Samanday, General Manager (Operation) Ecogreen, said MGC must extend some support to these workers in the field.
“Such incidents are unacceptable because everyone has the right to respect their work,” he said.
Residents, meanwhile, said many reacted due to lack of awareness, infrastructure and readiness on the authorities.