Mumbai: BMC adds colour to sanitation workers’ lives

Sanitation workers don the new uniforms

The city's sanitation workers will soon don dark blue and orange uniforms and the khaki look will be gradually phased out. While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has brought about his change on a pilot basis at the A ward, a workers union has objected to the change and demanded that employees not be asked to wear the new uniform.

A civic official said, "Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, a new uniform has been designed for sanitation workers. We have received 10 such uniforms. These were distributed to sanitation workers of A ward. We will share our feedback with the Swachh Bharat Mission officials concerned."

He added, "After the final decision is taken, we will change the uniform in a phased manner."

Another official said, "Our workers wear khaki uniforms with vibrant netted polyester vests. Which helps to ensure high visibility in the dark. The sweeping of streets starts early in the morning. The new uniform has a vibrant strip so there is no need to wear an additional vest. This new uniform is more comfortable."

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The official added, "Now, male workers wear khaki shirts and trousers work while women wear khaki sarees. The new uniform has yellow stripes and orange imprinted on the shirt and trousers. For women workers, there is a salwar with the same colours."

About 27,000 sanitation workers are employed by the BMC. The new uniform will distribute them in a phased manner, the official said.

Meanwhile, Ashok Jadhav, president of the Municipal Mazdoor Union, said, "We have submitted our negative response to the BMC. This new uniform looks like joker clothes. Why do they need to change the uniform? Workers are happy with a khaki one. Instead of changing the uniform, the administration should try to improve the workers' quality of life."