KMC kicks off drive to evict & rehabilitate rag-pickers

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) kicked off its special drive on Tuesday in Rashbehari area, to locate and evict waste-pickers in the city and rehabilitate them so that they do not have to spend nights on open roads.

Mayor Firhad Hakim had instructed civic officials in a recent meeting to ensure that the social sector department of KMC removes the waste-pickers from the streets or pavements and rehabilitate them to night shelters or other similar places.

Municipal Commissioner Khalil Ahmed chaired a meeting with concerned officials of KMC on Monday and provided necessary instructions on going forward with the initiative.

There will be 16 teams, one in each borough, which will be monitored by the respective Assistant Director (AD) of each borough to identify the location of the waste-pickers.

They mainly stay near the sites of compactor stations, movable compactors, open vats, footpaths, under bridges and flyovers and also on canal banks.

"If the waste-pickers are found to sport identity cards of any NGO while the eviction drive is being carried out by the department, an FIR will be lodged by the respective AD and the Chief Municipal Law Officer will organise legal proceedings against the NGO," a senior KMC official said.

The official added that if places adjoining compactor stations or vats are seen littered or segregated by waste-pickers, respective ADs will be held responsible.

"Littering by waste-pickers near these places will attract penalty of Rs 5,000 per day and the penalty will be deducted from the bill of the agencies operating at these points," he maintained.

As per instructions by the Commissioner, the respective AD with the help of the local police station will evict the waste-pickers, while their rehabilitation will be arranged by the social sector of KMC.

The Joint Commissioner (Armed Police) has been requested to instruct all Officers in-Charge of police stations for necessary assistance to the ADs in this regard.

Director General (Civil) and Chief Manager of Social Sector has been asked to explore the places of rehabilitation for the waste-pickers.