Safai Karamchari (Sanitary Workers)/Scavenger Community and Risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in India

Being a developing country with a large population with high density, India was on high alert for the COVID-19 pandemic. India overcame much difficulty from the first wave, but was soon after smacked by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its contiguous nature, people were advised to stay in their home, but some people have to continue their work to maintain public health, law and order and provide necessary services. Sanitary workers are one of them; they maintain cleanliness and sanitise public places, communities, towns and cities to control the COVID-19 spread. It is essential to know and understand their situation in such a problematic condition of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper will elaborate on their social, occupational, and living conditions and possible relation with COVID-19. The author collected quantitative data through a cross-sectional study in four towns (Ladwa, Indri, Thanesar and Radaur) of Haryana in 2017. Quantitative and qualitative data had collected from sanitary workers through structured interview and observation. During fieldwork, the researcher lived with the community and observed closely. Results show that their working conditions are risky, working timings and duration also risky, alcohol and tobacco use is high, protective gears are not available to them, job status primarily contractual, no or low educational standard, health conditions are down and the standard of living is low & living situation are congested. The results indicate that they are at high risk of COVID-19 infection, to develop severe acute illness from COVID-19 and community spread. While their sanitary workers come into contact with different kinds of waste and surfaces, so their chance of infection is high because COVID-19 can survive on any surface. Their occupational, educational, social, health, living standards and living conditions make them vulnerable to developing a severe acute illness, leading to a high death rate and community spread. Therefore we need to take some essential steps in this regard.