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R. S. Sannabhadti
3 Scrap Pickers and Collectors in Ahmedabad:
An Overview
Of the four modes of scrap collection identified in Ahmedabad, the first category
is the ‘itinerant scrap collector’ also known as the kabadiwallah, raddiwallah or
pithawallah, who buys the best quality of dry waste which is quite well segregated
directly from households. The operational conditions of this group are relatively better as compared to all the other modes of scrap pickers. Most of these itinerant scrap
collectors in Ahmedabad seem to be long term migrants belonging to the Marwadi
community. The second category, i.e. ‘door-to-door waste collectors cum cleaners’
are the ones who provide cleaning services to gated communities and as a part of
these services, they get access to un-segregated domestic waste from households.
Most of them segregate and sort the dry non-biodegradable scrap material from unsegregated waste and sell it to the itinerant scrap collector. However, such segregation
is only possible if these door-to-door collectors have access to segregation and storage spaces. There seems to be a variety of sub-categories within this broad category
of door-to-door collectors based on their contractual arrangements with the gated
community or employer. The street-side scrap collectors are the third category of
waste pickers who collect scrap materials from street-side dustbins, municipal community bins and public places prone to littering. They seem to have territorialised
operational areas and operational times based on which they go to different streets on
different days. There seem to be a mix of scheduled and other backward castes, which
seem to be undertaking this sort of scrap collection from streets. This group seems
to be very vulnerable as they need to constantly negotiate with different gatekeepers
to give them access to the street or other public spaces. Moreover, as the streets
and public spaces are available to any scrap picker, this category of scrap pickers
face intense competition while attempting to territorialise a given public space or
street stretch. The fourth group of waste pickers in Ahmedabad are the scrap pickers frequenting city-level open landfill site to pick any recyclable material that get
dumped by municipal waste disposal vehicles. Such scrap picker households usually
operate in shifts of 6–10 h (alternating their family members) at the Pirana dumpsite
throughout the day all round the year. The quality of recyclable material available to
these scrap pickers seems to be of the worst quality and their operational conditions
are also the worst in terms of health and safety conditions. However, this category of
scrap pickers is assured of a steady supply of scrap since the dumping by municipal
vehicles remains operational throughout the year.
R. S. Sannabhadti
3 Scrap Pickers and Collectors in Ahmedabad:
An Overview
Of the four modes of scrap collection identified in Ahmedabad, the first category
is the ‘itinerant scrap collector’ also known as the kabadiwallah, raddiwallah or
pithawallah, who buys the best quality of dry waste which is quite well segregated
directly from households. The operational conditions of this group are relatively better as compared to all the other modes of scrap pickers. Most of these itinerant scrap
collectors in Ahmedabad seem to be long term migrants belonging to the Marwadi
community. The second category, i.e. ‘door-to-door waste collectors cum cleaners’
are the ones who provide cleaning services to gated communities and as a part of
these services, they get access to un-segregated domestic waste from households.
Most of them segregate and sort the dry non-biodegradable scrap material from unsegregated waste and sell it to the itinerant scrap collector. However, such segregation
is only possible if these door-to-door collectors have access to segregation and storage spaces. There seems to be a variety of sub-categories within this broad category
of door-to-door collectors based on their contractual arrangements with the gated
community or employer. The street-side scrap collectors are the third category of
waste pickers who collect scrap materials from street-side dustbins, municipal community bins and public places prone to littering. They seem to have territorialised
operational areas and operational times based on which they go to different streets on
different days. There seem to be a mix of scheduled and other backward castes, which
seem to be undertaking this sort of scrap collection from streets. This group seems
to be very vulnerable as they need to constantly negotiate with different gatekeepers
to give them access to the street or other public spaces. Moreover, as the streets
and public spaces are available to any scrap picker, this category of scrap pickers
face intense competition while attempting to territorialise a given public space or
street stretch. The fourth group of waste pickers in Ahmedabad are the scrap pickers frequenting city-level open landfill site to pick any recyclable material that get
dumped by municipal waste disposal vehicles. Such scrap picker households usually
operate in shifts of 6–10 h (alternating their family members) at the Pirana dumpsite
throughout the day all round the year. The quality of recyclable material available to
these scrap pickers seems to be of the worst quality and their operational conditions
are also the worst in terms of health and safety conditions. However, this category of
scrap pickers is assured of a steady supply of scrap since the dumping by municipal
vehicles remains operational throughout the year.