Pourakarmikas: With permanent job, it feels like Bengaluru's finally noticing us
Bengaluru: There was a spring in the steps of thousands of pourakarmikas, who stepped onto Bengaluru's streets for their morning cleaning routine on Friday, a day after the state govt made 12,692 of nearly 16,500 pourakarmika jobs permanent.
Mytri K, spokesperson, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICTU), which spearheaded the fight to get pourakarmikas the status of a permanent job, said, "This isn't just a work order, it's a step toward correcting a historical injustice. Pourakarmikas, mostly women from dalit communities, endured decades of exploitation, threats, and back-breaking labour under contractors. This victory belongs to their relentless courage to organise, protest, and demand what was always rightfully theirs. But the fight isn't over — real change means their children don't return to this caste-ordained occupation. Dignity, housing, education, and secure employment must follow. Only then will justice be complete."
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Pourakarmikas said permanent jobs would mean they will be able to fulfil some basic needs, like supporting their children's education. They say the long-overdue recognition of their dignity will end all uncertainties and humiliations they endured battling middlemen under the earlier Direct Payment System. TOI spoke to a few regularised pourakarmikas and understood what the change in their tenure means to them.
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Krishna H, 28
Our entire family moved from Ballari to Bengaluru for work. My dad started working as a pourakarmika 20 years ago, and I have been a pourakarmika for 10 years now. I started with a Rs 3,000 salary. The main thing is job security we will now have. Being a single breadwinner for the family, that is all I wanted. We fought a lot for this, and a lot of people stood by us, and finally, a big win for thousands of pourakarmikas working all seven days.
Basappa, 44
This is the best thing to happen in my life. Almost 17 years of hard work to keep this city clean paid off today. We were working on a contract for years, and in 2016, we were put under the Direct Payment System. Now, we are getting Rs 19,000, and we have been told we will now get more than Rs 35,000. We are happy we will get some benefits to lead our lives with dignity. This job has always been difficult, but now it feels like the city is finally seeing us.
Lalithamma, 34,
I have three daughters and a son to take care of. My husband is also a pourakarmika. Financially, we were not very strong, and now with this update in our jobs, we are hopeful to give better education and life to our kids. We are very happy all the hard work put in for almost 15 years is finally bearing fruit, and our dignity is being upheld. I started work with about Rs 3,000, and now I will get more than Rs 30,000. It is a welcome change for us. We are thankful to all those who helped us achieve this.
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