Pourakarmikas feted at Independence Day event say more action needed

Substance over rhetoric

For dozens of Covid care medical staff, recovered patients and pourakarmikas, the chief minister’s Independence Day speech on Saturday, which highlighted their efforts to beat the virus, was like a much-needed shot in the arm. At the same time, some pourakarmikas said action was needed more than words.

Some of the 57 pourakarmikas from the BBMP’s eastern zone and the Chamarajpet Assembly constituency in the western zone, who had been specially invited to the low-key celebrations, described feeling thrilled when B S Yediyurappa paid tribute to Covid warriors.

The chief minister named doctors, healthcare workers, Asha workers, paramedics, anganwadi workers, police, civic workers (pourakarmikas) and employees of all departments. “The health warriors have fought this war like the soldiers on the frontline,” he said.

“The risks of the job are real,” explained Venkat S, a pourakarmika supervisor at the celebration. “According to our information, some 700 pourkarmikas in the city have been infected with the disease, although the number of active cases has come down.”

He added: “Being asked to attend the event is a big boost to our morale but overall, the morale is not very high among the pourakarmikas. The government should introduce some schemes to recognise those who work harder or are more efficient in the field, with certificates or perhaps even a cash bonus. That would prompt many to work harder.”

When the chief minister reminded that the government is providing “free treatment” to all Covid warriors in the event that they catch Covid-19, and Rs 30 lakh compensation to their families in the case of death, another pourakarmika said that while there had been several deaths among the pourakarmika community, the affected families hadn’t been paid any compensation. “Words are easily made but ensuring that the money is paid out to the family is a struggle,” she said.

Another thing that should happen is that the words of the pourakarmikas must be heard, explained Vishwanath, Superintending Engineer (West Zone), who was also at the event. “Pourakarmika invitations to Independence and Republic Day celebrations should become a trend. Perhaps it will prompt the public to pay heed to what our civic workers say,” he said.

'Huge honour'

Apart from pourakarmikas, eight doctors, five ANMs, four Asha workers, four health inspectors, four link workers and four gravediggers were also feted.

Dr Siddapaji, Health Officer-in-charge, East Zone, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), said this year’s invitation to healthcare workers to the annual celebration was unprecedented. "This has never happened before, not even during the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2006. It is a huge honour,” he said.