Activist objects for making SHG women sweep roads in Raipur

RAIPUR: Taking a stand against using women belonging to self-help groups (SHGs) for cleaning and sweeping a 75-kilometre stretch of road at Naya Raipur (Atal Nagar), a social activist has objected the move citing that it is a violation of dignity.
While the cleaning work is scheduled for two months in the sweltering heat, the activist has also suggested ideas for imparting skills to the women for a permanent livelihood.
According to a circular issued by State Rural Livelihood Mission (SLRM), Chhattisgarh chief secretary Sunil Kujur has decided to deploy women from SHGs to clean roads in Atal Nagar for two months from May 1 to June 30.
There are about 50 women from Tuta village and Telibandha who are transported via tractors every day to Atal Nagar at 10am and they return at 5.30pm.
Social activist Manjeet Kaur Bal on Thursday wrote to the chief secretary objecting the deployment of women for sweeping work, which violates the essence of SHGs since they are formed as a holistic programme of micro-enterprises covering all aspects of self-employment and organization of the rural poor. The concept of SHGs does not favour women to be utilized in labour work like cleaning of roads, she said.
Bal added that the concept of livelihood is being blatantly violated. She told TOI that there is no skill or knowledge development in cleaning roads and in absence of scope of sustainability, the basic rule of forming SHGs for asset creation is not happening in this case.
Bal said in the letter that the job of SLRM is not to utilize women of SHGs into contract labour, but to empower the SHGs to a level that these women become eligible to handle contracts by themselves. "It is a clear violation and exploitation of human resources. The women were not imparted training either to use designated machines and equipment for road cleaning, hence there is no sign of skill development training either", stated the letter.
The activist suggested to the chief secretary that the SHGs could be provided training first and then as part of the MoU, a contract should be given to them and focus should be on timings, availability of equipment and possibility of skill development.
Around 50 women are working in the scorching heat of Raipur throughout the day, without proper water facility, food or toilet and a few of them have already started fallen ill and are on leave. "We agreed to work because we lack awareness", a woman said.