Bhubaneswar: Calling for concerted efforts to ensure zero fatalities in sanitation work, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday stressed the need to ensure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers by adopting mechanisation and modern technology.
Addressing a national workshop on “Mission Zero – Ending Fatality in Sanitation Work” in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of ‘Garima Diwas’, the Chief Minister said clean cities, a safe environment and the safety of sanitation workers are essential for building a ‘Samruddha Odisha’.
The national workshop witnessed the participation of experts and sanitation-sector officials from eight states, besides sanitation workers.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also announced that the fourth Saturday of August will be observed every year as Garima Diwas, dedicated to protecting the lives of sanitation workers, strengthening their social security and enhancing their dignity in society.
Underlining the need to eliminate hazardous manual cleaning, Majhi said India was making rapid advances in robotics, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies and questioned why such innovations could not be deployed to safeguard sanitation workers.
Highlighting the importance of mechanisation under the Centre’s NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme, he called for proper training of sanitation workers to enable them to efficiently operate modern equipment.
On the Mission Zero goal, the Chief Minister said the focus should be on preventing accidents rather than providing compensation after fatalities. “Our aim is not to compensate for the loss. Our goal is not to help after death, but to protect before death. It is not to compensate after an accident, but to prevent accidents before they happen,” he said.
Majhi also handed over Rs 10 lakh in insurance assistance to the wife of late sanitation worker Pratap Dalai on the occasion. He said the government wanted to ensure the safety of workers engaged in dangerous occupations.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated and visited an exhibition showcasing modern technological machines and safety equipment for sanitation work. He handed over work orders for houses to sanitation workers.
The workshop also saw participation from senior government officials and experts working in the sanitation sector.
Union Social Justice Secretary Sudhansh Pant appreciated Odisha’s initiatives for the safety, economic development and welfare of sanitation workers. He said the state had emerged as an example for others through its implementation of the Garima Yojana.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said sanitation workers were responsible for keeping cities clean and reiterated the state government’s commitment to achieving zero fatalities in sanitation work.
“Zero fatality is not just a slogan for us; it is a resolution,” Garg said, adding that the government would take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of sanitation workers.
Manvita Baradi, Director of the Urban Management Centre, praised Odisha’s Garima scheme, saying that it was designed not only for sanitation workers but also for the welfare of their families.