September 03, 2007	Monday	Sha'aban 20, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 2: Some 3,000 or so sanitary workers of the Solid Waste Management wing of the city district government have tested positive for hepatitis B and C. The tests were recently conducted at the district headquarters hospitals.

Over two dozens or so sanitary workers, performing duties in 20 union councils of the CDGL, told this reporter on Sunday that a sum of Rs200 was deducted from the salary of each SWM grade-IV employee for the tests conducted at the Mian Munshi DHQ-I and Kot Khwaja Saeed DHQ-II hospitals.

“We work under utmost unsanitary conditions that make us vulnerable to fatal diseases. The facilities at the SWM-approved health centres are insufficient. Lack of proper medical cover has resulted in death or permanent disability of several of our colleagues in most cases. There are hardly a few sanitary workers who are in good health after attaining superannuation,” claimed a worker who wished not to be named.

Ironically, the workers employed in the same category in another wing of the CDGL, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), enjoyed free of cost medical cover at some 26 private hospitals for themselves and their families, he added.

Claiming that not even a single rupee was charged for the tests, District Officer (SWM) Dr Tufail said the situation was not so alarming. “Sanitary workers are poor people. They keep the city clean by sweeping and by picking up the solid waste. They are getting free of cost medical cover for themselves and their families at two DHQ level hospitals, besides other CDGL infirmaries at Mozang, Shahdara, Baghbanbura and Township.

Some three days ago, a decision was taken to provide free of cost treatment to the sanitary workers suffering from any type of hepatitis or any other disease. The CDGL will bear all the expenses whatsoever in this regard. After tests, will start getting all the sanitary workers vaccinated against hepatitis in batches of 100s. Arrangement will also be made to provide them medical check-up facility after 2pm, so that the workers who perform duties in the morning can avail it,” maintained the DO.

He said District Coordination Officer Mian Ijaz also agreed to the proposal.

Dr Tufail said the SWM had been extending regular waste removal services to 33 per cent of the city’s population, 33 per cent was being served partly while the remaining 34 per cent was not being served at all.

“We are short of resources and manpower. Lahore city covered an area of 440 square kilometres but the area under the CDGL is now 1,770 square kilometres.

“The city produces 4,800 tons of solid waste daily on an average. The figures are based on the World Bank formula according to which every person generates 0.65 kilogramme solid waste daily. Furthermore, the city has some five million people in transit daily — who come to Lahore and leave — but they do produce solid waste.

“At present, solid waste is being dumped at three sites. The 600-kanal patch along Mahmood Booti on Bund Road receives around 1,100 tons, the 350 kanal space near Saggian Bridge 2,000 tons, while the 200 kanal plot near Bagrian in Green Town gets 500 to 600 tons daily on an average,” he said.

He said most of the 7,500 or so workers serving an estimated population of eight million were in the 40-plus age group. They worked round-the-clock to lift around 3,000 tons of the waste generated daily, he added.

“We have to work extra hours, even at night in view of our limited lifting capacity. Of the total 374 SWM vehicles, around 300 worked daily which were much short of the requirement to meet the workload,” the DO said, and added that Karachi by comparison had some 18,000 workers to lift solid waste produced by some 10 million-plus people.