COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than 50,000 people in India, with more than 4,000 dead in Delhi
New Delhi:
More than 30 sanitation workers have died in Delhi after being infected with the COVID-19 virus – to which they were likely exposed in the line of duty amid a viral outbreak that has killed more than 4,000 people in the nation’s capital alone and over 50,000 across India.
The families of most of these men and women are still struggling to obtain the compensation announced by the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi).
Many MCD sanitation workers also said they were not receiving adequate protective equipment from the authorities. They say all they have received in the name of protective gear since the lockdown was announced in March are face masks.
“We have nothing to protect us from the virus. We received masks initially, but that was months ago. Agents say there is no more stock now. We have been asking for masks and disinfectants for a long time, ”Rajkumar, who works at a dumping ground in East Delhi Chander Nagar, said.
“Now we have started buying protective gear on our own,” he added.
Rajkumar is over 50 years old and is also a diabetic patient.
The condition of contract workers may be worse, as they fear being fired if they question the authorities. This means that only permanent employees can make requests to the MCD.
“We are contract workers. If the MCD workers don’t get anything, what will we get? No one has come. We have no gloves or disinfectant. For months we don’t get a salary, but nobody comes to ask us, “Sandeep, who has worked on contract for the MCD for over 10 years, said.
At another dump east of Delhi, this time in Ghazipur, Pritam said he was only given two pairs of gloves.
“Isn’t Covid a disease that affects sanitation workers? No treatment … nothing is provided to us. We are told that every few hours you should change the face mask, but we don’t know if we’ll have another, “he said.
However, the EDMC (East Delhi Municipal Corporation) has denied the shortage of equipment to any worker, whether permanent or contract.
“From day one, we ensured the full distribution of protective equipment. We never distinguish between permanent and contract employees and we have made sure that masks, disinfectants and gloves are distributed to all employees, ”said the EDMC.
Previously, in a petition to the Supreme Court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) are binding on the Indian government and are being followed.
