“As a public servant and cleaner, there is nothing valuable about my job. I have three daughters and a young wife who asks me ‘Where are your safety clothes?’ 'I’ll be getting them at the office,' I lie. As scared my family is for me, I am the most terrified amongst them. I am worried to my gut about going out to for my cleaning work every single day, picking garbage from my defined zone.People never acknowledged me earlier but now when they see me cross me, they tend to move further away or cover their faces and noses as if I am definitely the virus-carrier. It worries me.

Sometimes, gloves don’t even seem like the ultimate protection. The world has come to a bad phase where, I can’t trust anyone. I don’t know which person has come in contact with them before me. I am scared to carry the garbage and touch different surfaces like railings. And the hostile looks I get from every one--maybe they think of me as a danger. At least, I am glad that people don't treat me as badly as the other frontline warriors and beat us up as I have heard about policemen and doctors. I just exist for them. But if one day I don’t collect their garbage or clear the dirt, they start calling me irresponsible. Such is life for me.

I get anxious every single day thinking, what if I get infected? Who will look after my family? What if my family members get coronavirus because of me? Yesterday we got protective uniforms that cover our body and face to lower the risk, but are they enough? I can’t speak with anyone at home of my concerns as it might scare them.”

We got the opportunity to talk to a public cleaning servant and we realized how they’ve been ignored in this whole pandemic phase. Along with the doctors, nurses, public safety professionals, grocers, farmers–the cleaners are also stepping into the world of uncertainty with contamination risk looming over them every single moment of their job.

Along with other frontline servants, they are also susceptible to infection as they deal with different kinds of garbage and surfaces during their job of  keeping the locality clean. The hygiene they give us is of utmost importance but what about their mental health and stress?

They suffer from mental health issues like anxiety for self, low self-worth and self-esteem crisis, insecurity, panic attacks and depression.

It is our responsibility to make our garbage collector, the municipal safai karmacharis and others who keep our surroundings clean, feel better about their work, during the crisis, by dealing with compassionately rather than in a hostile manner.

Just acknowledging their presence at your doorstep, a simple smile while handing over the garbage or thanking them for their cleaning services can make them feel better. Once in a while asking about their health, their families can make them feel well taken care of.

It is a little to ask for someone who is standing like a protective wall between you and the contagion.