Feelings: Stress of contracting COVID
One thing we know and what we tell others also is how precious our lives are. We have made people around us understand this.
One thing we know and what we tell others also is how precious our lives are. We have made people around us understand this.
No one came, no one enquired what is going on, how we are… how are people in the slums. There are snakes, and a lot of other problems here, but somehow we used to manage to earn at least 10 rupees. Now, even that is not possible. We have to leave our children and go. We are worried about what will happen to the children if we leave them at home and go.
In the beginning, we used to feel scared, Madam. But since we are taking precautions, we are doing okay.
Some of us are wearing masks. When we go outside, we go out wearing masks. But if we’re near our house itself, we don’t wear masks. We stay inside our hut itself. If we’re near the house, nobody wears, Madam. Small children don’t wash hands…some people’s children. But while going outside, people definitely wear masks.
Some people consider the lockdown as a holiday, like for those in the office it is a holiday. For us waste pickers it is a matter of worry, we get anxious. We are worried because…. See, we can understand but how will our children understand?
There are various kinds of problems. Problems like, they say weather, right, weather… we need to suffer from that. So its raining continuously (nirantar), so, at that time, I felt like I was fighting a battle. Truly, I’m fighting a war, a battle, because the vehicle has a timing, I need to finish my work by then, by whatever means. I’m coming to work at 6 AM. I’m aware that today there will be more work, because with garbage, there is no limit (seema) to it. Yes, there is no limit to garbage. Today itself, the house from which you get one packet, tomorrow you’ll get two full dustbins. The same is the case with offices. Offices – it’s not empty on any given day.
So, regarding work, the government is saying… it is their thinking… that run MGNREGA… they are running something… in pieces… they’ve split it into pieces. Like how they play with toys, they have done something like that. So, there are no livelihoods. We know this. There are no government jobs. Those who are educated, are just roaming around. So, why should we think so far ahead?