This article discusses the important work done by cleanliness workers in Mumbai to keep the city clean. It profiles Sindhu Pundalik, a 40-year-old sweeper who received an award from the BMC for her work. Despite facing rude behavior from some residents, cleanliness workers like Pundalik are dedicated to their job for the livelihood it provides. The workers hope for better living conditions and enough income to support their families. They believe the city would be dirtier without their efforts.

1. The IndianEXPRESS
MUMBAINewsline I MONDAY I APRIL 20 I 2009
NEWS www.expressindia.com
5
Blow whistle on
There’s nothing ‘dirty’ with our eve-teasers, literally,
blogger tells women
job, say cleanliness workers ADITYA PAUL
APRIL 19
IN THE wake of the recent rape of a foreign student of Tata Insti-
If we don’t do it, city will be messier, say people who keep Mumbai chakachak tute of Social Sciences, a blogger has decided to encourage
women to take matter into their own hands when faced with
DHANYA NAIR does not really makes into of people passing by you keep huge demands and dreams. such kind of trouble. Harish Iyer, who set up a blog called Sita-
APRIL 19 the list of cleanest city’s of the
country, we make sure that
littering or spitting. Some-
times it bothers, but then it’s a
We just want to have a job
which will give us enough to
62 awards to promote cleanliness Sena.blogspot.com on the eve of Women’s Day this year to en-
courage women to raise their voices for their own protection,
F
ORTY-year-old we do our job with sincerity job and I have to do it,” she raise and educate our kids,” The BMC on Saturday gave out the Sant Gadage Maharaj Puraskar now advocates that women should wear whistles as fashion acces-
Sindhu Pundalik and lessen the squalor and said. But this unruly behav- said Dondo Babaji Jadhav, for cleanliness to 20 sweepers, railway stations, advanced locality sories, which could be used in emergencies to call out for help. “In
starts her day at 4.30 dirt,” said Pundalik, who on iour of people doesn’t deter 81-year-old sweeper who has managements, corporate houses, colleges and co-operative soci- my opinion, there is no way that a rape or molestation can be
am daily. First she cooks for Saturday received Sant her spirit. “At least I am inde- been in the job for the past 71 eties. The civic body gave as many as 62 awards and spent around prevented fully,” says Iyer. “Therefore, if a girl is alone and finds
her two grown-up kids and Gadage Maharaj Puraskar , a pendent and don’t have to years at D-ward. “It might 35 lakh to promote cleanliness habits at the local level. Each herself accosted by goons, she can call out for help by blowing the
cleans the house, and then cleanliness award given by stoop to begging,” Pundalik not be a very glamorous job awarded sweeper was given a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a trophy whistle,” said Iyer.
gears up for another cleaning the Brihnamumbai Munici- adds. but at least I don’t have to beg and a certificate. "We selected our workers on the basis of citizens Asked if calling the police made more sense, he replied, “Most
session – this time in the city. pal Corporation (BMC), for While the rest of urban at my old age. I can get my reaction, monitoring the cleanliness drives they had taken up in people still don’t trust the police, and more importantly if you
With long yellow gloves on being the best cleaner in K- population goes about throw- own food and money. Since their ward and the time spent by them," said Seema Raidekar, an have an an emergency, it is much easier to blow a whistle than to
both hands and a mop on one ward. The BMC awarded 20 ing garbage and spitting there is no dependency on official form the BMC's storm water drains department. call up any helpline number. This way, the act can be stopped
of them, Pundalik everyday sweepers among others to everywhere in the city, it’s any thing, I am happy with my before the police get involved. We want to make it a reflex action
gets ready to the uphill tasks promote cleanliness at the lo- people like Pundalik and her job,” said Jadhav. to attempted molestations and therefore are urging women to
of cleaning the city. A seem- cal level. ilk who make sure the city re- So how do they handle un- another sweeper Satyavan was ever,” said Daoji. “Of wear the whistle but only blow it when needed so that its message
ingly menial job for many of Pundalik has to be on the mains some what clean. Sur- ruly public? “Very rarely Daoji from G-ward. Happy one thing we are certain, if isn’t diluted. I call this campaign ‘WhistleDhaar Naari’.”
us, but for city’s hundreds of field by 7:30 am and spends prisingly, her sentiments are people have been in-your- with their salary and living we were not doing this chal- Iyer intends to promote this novel way of self-defense through
sweepers and conservancy more than eight hours sweep- echoed by others too break- face rude to us. Though it conditions, they say things lenging job of sweeping the his blog and its Facebook group, “I am also going to ask people to
workers like her, it is just an- ing the vast stretch of lanes. ing the common belief that bothers sometime when peo- are far better now. “We have city, this city will be even dirt- put this up on their blog and Facebook pages and try to spread the
other way of social service. “I “The job is just as challenging the conservancy workers in ple are rude… but then now got a comfortable pucca ier,” concludes Daoji before movement. Since the Pink Chaddi Campaign is off Facebook, I
don’t consider my job inferior as any other. Imagine contin- the city are unhappy with which job comes without any house to live in. Life is cer- adding in a jest, “Ganda hai have asked other group moderators to promote this. I am also try-
to anyone’s. Though our city uing cleaning while the horde their living. “We don’t have occupational hazard?” said tainly far better now than it par dhanda hai.” ing to promote it as some sort of a fashion statement as this
seems to be easiest way to popularise it,” says Iyer. Asked how he
got the idea, he said, “I’m an avid blogger and have Shobhaa De
Doctor held for as what I call my ‘Blog Dost’. She and I always comment on each
other’s blogs and it was she who said that I should come up with
molesting teen such a blog and the use of a whistle.”
“SITA stands for Sensitivity In True Action. On Women’s
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Day, we went to different spots and took videos of women blow-
APRIL 19 ing on whistles to register protest against what had happened in
Mangalore,” he said.
A 65-year-old doctor was arrested
for molesting a teenager in Bandra
on Sunday.
The accused, identified as PN
Shetty, was victim’s family doctor
EXPRESS
and allegedly molested the 14-year-
old when she visited his clinic in Pali
YOUR VOICE
Naka for treatment.
The victim then approached her
mother and filed a case of molesta-
tion in the Bandra police station. FEEDBACK
The police immediately arrested
Shetty and he will be produced in the Mumbai Newsline invites readers to write in. We are looking
court on Monday. for original, thoughtful and concise letters and e-mails. If
He has been charged with mo- you have something to say about life in Mumbai, the
lestation and outraging a woman’s news—or the way we’ve presented it—or just need to let
modesty. According to the police, he off steam, please write in.And if you think we’ve made a
is suffering from some mental prob- mistake, be sure to write and tell us. We’ll check and, if need
lem. be, print a clarification. All letters may be edited for length
“The girl visited the doctor around and clarity.
12.30 pm on Sunday to receive treat-
You can also contact us:
ment for a wound,” said an officer
By post:Feedback, Newsline,The Indian Express, Second
from the Bandra police station.
Floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021
“Under the pretext of treating her,
Fishing baskets stacked together at Madh island. A fishermen’s association has decided to stop fishing for a while to help By e-mail: mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
he molested her. We have arrested
more fish breed this year VASANT PRABHU By Fax: 22835726
him and charged him under Section
354 of the IPC,” he added.
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