–Majority of workers carrying out duties at public places without protective gear, suffering salary delays
–Rights activists demand full implementation of SC’s order, call for grant of risk allowance and relief package for sweepers
–Minister says sweepers deployed at healthcare facilities entitled to ‘Shaheed package’
LAHORE: A large number of sanitary workers across Punjab continue to work in public places amid the deadly viral outbreak without any protective gear and payment of due salaries in spite of a Supreme Court (SC) order, rights activists said.
On April 13, during the hearing of the coronavirus suo motu, a five-member bench of the apex court, under Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, had ordered the federal and provincial governments, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory administration, to ensure that sanitation workers are provided with necessary protective gear since they too are working on the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic.
“The condition of sanitary staff is also not good and it is informed that they are exposed to all sorts of diseases, while they are working in hospitals and other places. No effective care is being provided to them and a request has been made that they be provided with the requisite protection, so that they may perform their work without any fear.
“In the circumstances, the federal government as well as all the provincial governments, including, the ICT and GB shall ensure that sanitary staff are taken care of and are provided with proper and secure uniforms so that they can work without fear of being affected by the disease,” the apex court had stated in its order.
However, rights activists have claimed that the top court’s order has fallen on deaf ears in the government quarters.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Implementation Minority Rights Forum (IMRF) Chairman Samuel Pyara said the court gave its directions 15 days ago but there has been little action in this regard.
Pyara, who is also a party in the suo motu case, said that their team had inspected several hospitals and conducted surveys in public spaces to see how many sanitary workers were wearing protective gear.
“Only some workers assigned to corona wards in hospitals were seen wearing some sort of protective clothing whereas a majority of workers employed in solid waste management and sanitation were without any protection, not even face masks,” he claimed.
Pyara added that they will bring this to the SC’s notice when it takes up the case for hearing on May 4, Monday.
‘NO RISK ALLOWANCE, RELIEF PACKAGE’:
Centre for Law and Justice Executive Director Mary James Gill shared similar concerns and demanded that besides the provision of protective gear, the government should also give timely salaries to sanitary workers and announce risk allowance and a relief package for them.
“As per WHO guidelines, maintaining hygiene and sanitation within the public spaces plays an important role in countering the spread of the pandemic. But the sanitary workers who are working day and night to keep public spaces clean are not being given due protection,” she lamented.
According to Gill, these workers are more exposed to the contagion than any other segment of society because they are also responsible for disposing of all types of hazardous waste.
Gill, who is also spearheading an advocacy campaign ‘Sweepers Are Superheros’ that outlines the horrific working conditions and attitude towards sweepers in Pakistan, said that distributing masks and gloves of substandard quality was not enough to save the lives of these workers. “They are also facing salary issues and a large number of them have complained that they haven’t been paid for over two months,” she said.
She demanded that the government should clear all outstanding salaries of the sanitation staff and ensure that these frontline fighters against Covid-19 are paid on time.
“Moreover, the government should formally announce a separate relief package for workers serving at hospitals just as it has done for doctors and other paramedical staff. These workers are directly in contact with corona patients and are at a higher risk of getting infected,” she said.
‘SWEEPERS INCLUDED IN SHUHADA PACKAGE’:
Commenting on the issue, Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs Ijaz Alam Augustine said that the Punjab government had included sanitation workers deployed at hospitals and quarantine facilities in its Shaheed (Martyr) Package announced for health workers.
“From May 1, all the staff which is performing duties related to COVID-19 patients is eligible to an honorarium equal to one month’s running basic pay till the active presence of the pandemic,” he told Pakistan Today.
Augustine said that in case of death due to Covid-19, any employee serving in a healthcare establishment shall be declared a ‘Shaheed’ (Martyr) and the family shall be entitled to the Shaheed package.
“Employees who are working in BS 1-16 will be eligible for a compensation of Rs4 million and BS 17 and above will be eligible for Rs8m in Shaheed Package,” he added.
Regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court’s order in the coronavirus measures suo motu, Augustine said that he was personally monitoring the provision of protective gear to the sanitation staff deployed at hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
“We have also distributed face masks and hand sanitizers to a large number of workers in several cities. Although we are yet to formally receive the SC’s detailed order, work has already started in this regard,” he added.
According to a joint report titled ‘Health, Safety and Dignity of Sanitation Workers’, released in November 2019 by the World Bank, World Health Organisation, International Labour Organisation, and WaterAid, sanitation workers are among the most invisible and neglected segments in society.
“These workers are often the most marginalised, poor, and discriminated-against members of society who carry out their jobs with no equipment, protection, or legal rights, often violating their dignity and human rights.
“It is only when those critical services fail, when society is confronted with fecal waste in ditches, streets, rivers, and beaches or occasional media reports of sanitation worker deaths, that the daily practice and plight of sanitation workers come to light,” the report said.
