– Garbage pickers in India
– Extreme heat and dangerous job for India’s waste collectors.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Associated Press
JAMMU, India (AP) — The putrid smell of burning garbage wafts for miles from the landfill on the outskirts of Jammu in a potentially toxic miasma fed by the plastics, industrial, medical and other waste generated by a city of some 740,000 people. Despite the hazardous conditions, a small group of waste pickers persist in sorting through the rubbish, hoping to earn a meager income of around $4 a day.
Among them is 65-year-old Usmaan Shekh, who shared, “If we don’t do this, we don’t get any food to eat. We try to take a break for a few minutes when it gets too hot, but mostly we just continue till we can’t.”
These waste pickers, estimated to be between 1.5 to 4 million in India, are facing increasing risks due to climate change. In Jammu, a city in the Himalayan foothills, temperatures have soared above 43 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit) this summer.
Tragically, at least one garbage picker in northern India lost their life in the recent heat wave, highlighting the dangers of their work.
Landfill Hazards
The landfills themselves pose significant risks as garbage decomposes, emitting harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide. With the summer heat intensifying these processes, landfill fires are common during this season, burning for days on end. During a visit to the Jammu landfill, small fires could be seen dotting the massive pile, sending up plumes of smoke.
India generates a staggering 62 million tons of waste annually, with some landfills resembling mountains of garbage. Despite laws mandating waste segregation to prevent hazardous materials from ending up in landfills, enforcement has been lacking, putting waste pickers at even greater risk.
Impact of Extreme Heat
Bharati Chaturvedi, founder of the New Delhi-based Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, emphasized the additional risks faced by waste pickers due to extreme heat. “It’s been a terrible, terrible, terrible year,” she said. “They already expect to suffer from the heat and that gives them a lot of anxiety, because they don’t know if they’ll make it, if they’ll survive it (the summer).”
Heat planning and public health experts warn of the dangers posed by prolonged heat exposure, including heatstroke, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases. Waste pickers, who are among the most vulnerable to high heat, are in urgent need of support and protection.
Call for Action
Abhiyant Tiwari, leading the climate resilience team at the Natural Resources Defense Council’s India program, stressed the importance of providing waste pickers with access to water, shade, and medical care. Implementing heat action plans across the country is crucial to safeguarding the lives of these workers.
Geeta Devi, a 55-year-old garbage picker in New Delhi, shared her struggles in the heat, emphasizing the necessity of her job to provide for her family. Despite the challenges, she has no choice but to continue working.
As a society, it is essential to protect and support waste pickers, offering them basic necessities and ensuring their well-being. Simple gestures like providing water and shade can make a significant difference in their lives.
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Follow Sibi Arasu on Twitter at @sibi123
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Arasu reported from Bengaluru and Nagpal reported from New Delhi.
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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
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India garbage pickers dangerous job extreme heat
India garbage pickers miserable job extreme heat.
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