MARGAO
Rain or shine, these Margao municipal workers have been in the forefront to maintain the city clean and free from waste. In times of Covid pandemic, these frontline workers lead from the front in the commercial capital to ensure that the daily waste is collected and disposed off at the Sonsodo dumping site every day without fail.
While normal life has been disrupted by the lockdown and pandemic-related restrictions in force for over a week, these 60-odd Margao municipal garbage workers go about their routine work collecting city waste in the morning and afternoon session and transport the same to Sonsodo garbage dump.
That Margao Municipal Council has not yet found a way to the issue of physical lifting of the loaded garbage bins.
Citizens who came across a group of MMC garbage workers manually lifting couple of bins filled with waste, sympathized with the poor working conditions of these hapless workers. “The way these workers are made to lift the loaded bins manually into the waiting vehicles is a pathetic sight and calls for serious introspection by the civic body. I only hope the Margao municipality at least provides the basic Covid safety equipment such as masks, sanitizers and gloves in times of the pandemic ", remarked a citizen.
The citizen further said, “The MMC should ensure adequate protection to these frontline workers. If not, the system of garbage collection and disposal will crumble”.
Questions are being raised if the Civic body has provided the garbage frontline workers with adequate number of face masks, gloves and sanitizers while on duty when wearing double masks has become a norm, than an exception now.
When 'The Goan' contacted Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes to shed light on whether any provision has been made to equip the sanitary workers with gloves, face masks and sanitizers, he said the civic body has provided safety equipments to the workers. “These workers constitute our frontline team and we have to ensure that they are protected with safety gear. I will again review their requirements and ensure that face masks, sanitizers and gloves are provided to our workers”, Agnelo added.
