There is an urgent need to rehabilitate youngsters who work as rag-pickers and the government has to take “more steps” to educate them, Delhi MP Mahabal Mishra said here on Saturday.
“It is urgently required that these kids be admitted into schools and given proper education and shelter we are building permanent homes for them but more steps are needed,” Mishra said at a symposium to spread awareness about the plight of waste pickers in the capital.
The event was organised by NGO Lok Adhikar and saw participation from several waste pickers along with their families.
Dharmendra Yadav, the general secretary of Lok Adhikar, said that the waste pickers faced many health hazards and demanded provision of health and social security measures for them.
Safety equipment for collection and segregation of waste, medical insurance, pension, free education for children, and provision of housing near work place were some of the demands he made.
“There is a need to initiate a dialogue on different aspects of waste management by involving waste workers, NGO’s, government officials, academicians and citizens,” he said.
