Pune’s Silent Workers Speak: Garbage Collectors Demand Immediate Release Of Pending Rs 77 Lakh For Children’s Education, Protest Organized Tomorrow
Pune, 4th December 2023: Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) garbage collectors have organized a march from Bhide Wada to the Collector Office Pune on December 5th, 2023, to address the prolonged delay in the disbursement of funds for the “Pre-Matric Scholarship for Children of Sanitation Workers.”
Despite diligently submitting applications, fulfilling all requirements, and providing required documentation, 2579 children have not received the scholarship for the past three years. The outstanding amount has now surpassed Rs 77,37,000. The delay has put the education of these children at risk due to the inability to pay their fees, jeopardizing their continuity in mainstream education.
Expressing frustration, Sarika Karadkar, a leader among the garbage pickers, questioned, “Our tireless efforts maintain the city’s cleanliness and safeguard citizens’ health. So, why the delay in our children’s scholarships? How can they pursue their education? What about their dreams for the future?”
The garbage pickers and their children are appealing to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to prioritize the issue, ensuring the timely payment of the scholarship amount and safeguarding the educational aspirations of these children. The march is scheduled from Bhide Wada to the Collector Office Pune on December 5th, 2023, after 1:30 PM.
