At a time when the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of ‘unsung coronavirus fighters’ are quietly toiling away round the clock beside hundreds of other heath care workers, including doctors, paramedical staff fighting the Covid-19 outbreak in the state.
But these ‘unsung’ heroes, the ‘safai mitr and swachhta didis who work invisibly in the background, away from the public glare, go unrecognized for their valuable contribution against the fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The safai mitr and swachhta didis or the cleaning or sanitation officials and employees are working day and night to ensure that disinfectants are sprayed and pure drinking water supply is uninterrupted across the state even during the lock down.
But these faceless warriors never get the recognition they deserve.
Official figures show that there are more than 9,000 swachhta didis across the state, who are going from door to door, collecting more than 16 lakh kg of household waste and garbage every day even during the lockdown.
More than 15,000 safai mitr’ rush to different areas, early every morning, to spray disinfectants within the city limits.
Responding to a call of the chief minister, they are working in two to three shifts to reach every area of the urban civic bodies across the state.
The coronavirus outbreak has struck in the urban bodies more than the rural areas.
The urban administration and development department has been working to ensure that people do not face any problems in disposing of the household waste and drinking water supply.
A control room has also been set up, from where monitoring of the 166 civic bodies of the state, especially spraying, cleanliness, disinfection and other work, is being done every day.
The department has also set up a toll free number ‘Nidaan-1100’ for citizens to register their complaints.
In the last two days alone, more than 20,000 complaints have been resolved on a priority basis.
Through the control room, it is being ensured that all complaints are attended to on the same day.
This apart, the supply of cleaning materials, chlorine, sodium hypo-chloride, disinfectants are continuously ensured in the civic bodies.
At public comfort stations, public hand wash facility cum space is also being provided.