2022-09-09 :  A Report on the New Water Supply and Wastewater Contract in IITK

New Water Supply and Wastewater Contract: What about Service Quality and Safety of Workmen?

 Hamara Manch, September 2022

 Summary

Water supply and sewage management is one of the crucial services required by the campus population and obviously it is a round-the-clock operation. There is a complex and elaborate network of tube wells, overhead and underground tanks, booster pumps, pumping stations, sump wells and sewage treatment plants to cater to the Institute inhabitants. Until July 31st, 2022, the round the clock operation and maintenance of this network was done by a set of 51 workers guided by two contracts – one for the tube wells and booster pumps and the other for sump wells and sewage treatment plants, etc. The crew included operators, supervisors, and maintenance staff spread over three 8-hour shifts.

 On 1st August 2022, the Institute put in place a new contract for the operation and maintenance of water supply and sewage management. This single contract combined all the work included in the two contracts. The most significant change is that the number of workmen has been reduced from 51 to 36.. The new contractor has retained 31 of the existing staff and has brought in 5 new workmen. This change not only rendered 18 existing workers[1], who have been providing us services for more than 15 years, jobless but also considerably intensified the work of the remaining workers.

 HM tried to understand the nature of work and work conditions of the water supply workers to appreciate the impact of the new contract on the quality of this crucial service, as well as work and workers The report is an outcome of this investigation. The report also brings out the dangerous conditions of work and how this crew has been providing us round the clock reliable services almost without even rudimentary equipment like a torch or boots. From our analysis it seems that the only reason for reducing the manpower is to reduce the cost of the contract by intensifying the exploitation of the workmen. This, in our opinion, is likely to jeopardise not only the lives and wellbeing of the crew but also severely compromise the quality of the service in coming times.

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[1]

Two workers who used to do maintenance and repair work under the earlier contractor, apparently continue to be employed by him