One thing we know and what we tell others also is how precious our lives are. We have made people around us understand this.
Some people consider the lockdown as a holiday, like for those in the office it is a holiday. For us waste pickers it is a matter of worry, we get anxious. We are worried because…. See, we can understand but how will our children understand?
There are various kinds of problems. Problems like, they say weather, right, weather… we need to suffer from that. So its raining continuously (nirantar), so, at that time, I felt like I was fighting a battle. Truly, I’m fighting a war, a battle, because the vehicle has a timing, I need to finish my work by then, by whatever means. I’m coming to work at 6 AM. I’m aware that today there will be more work, because with garbage, there is no limit (seema) to it. Yes, there is no limit to garbage. Today itself, the house from which you get one packet, tomorrow you’ll get two full dustbins. The same is the case with offices. Offices – it’s not empty on any given day.
So, regarding work, the government is saying… it is their thinking… that run MGNREGA… they are running something… in pieces… they’ve split it into pieces. Like how they play with toys, they have done something like that. So, there are no livelihoods. We know this. There are no government jobs. Those who are educated, are just roaming around. So, why should we think so far ahead?