Uniforms for sanitation workers

From: Citizens' Forum, IITK

To: Prabhat Munshi, Dean of Resources and Alumni, IITK

CC: Chair, Faculty Forum, IITK

Subject: Uniforms for sanitation workers

Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 20:34:53 +0000

Dear Prof. Munshi,

We had the pleasure of meeting you at our meeting with the Director last March. We hope you are well.

When we were at the campus, we had an opportunity to meet with various groups of workers in addition to meetings with faculty, students & Director. At one of our meetings with sanitation workers all of whom belonged to the Valmiki community Samaj workers , the issue of uniforms was raised. Apart from the fact that uniforms are awkward to work with and possibly torturous in heat ( at that time it was not summer yet ), their concern was that different color codes have been assigned for various categories of workers. Thus all sanitation workers are identified by a certain code. Given the reality in India that only Dalits belonging to Valmiki community end up doing the sanitation work and thus they are subjected to double insult i.e. not just while they do this work but also when moving around from one site to another or when going home because of being distinguishable from others. 

Obviously this may not be an issue for other workers or it may not even occur to you or me, but they themselves sense this humiliation. It is a question of their dignity as human beings in 21st century India, 65 years after discrimination of this kind was outlawed. I certainly remember seeing in films, a Dalit having to drag a bell (hence making noise) to warn others that he was passing by. The color code seems to be modern version of this without administration intending to do this.

I am wondering if you will consider having a discussion with your colleagues and have a meeting with concerned workers to try to find a solution to this situation of humiliation and indignity. 

One solution may simply be to mix various color codes and redistribute them (with no additional costs) in such a way that not one color code can identify the type of work a worker is doing. It is simply a question of human right and dignity. Alternatively all workers may be given uniforms of the same colour

Looking forward to hearing from you.

With best regards

Sushil Handa

On behalf of Citizens Forum of IITK Alumni

c.c. Prof. Y. N. Singh, Convener Faculty Forum