Putting SMC’s ground staff to serious health risks

In a disturbing scene witnessed by me early morning across several parts of Srinagar, municipal sweepers under the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) were seen cleaning streets without wearing any proper personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, or appropriate uniforms — a glaring violation of safety protocols and Smart City guidelines.
Clouds of dust rose into the air as these sanitation workers cleaned the roads with bare hands using traditional brooms, putting their health at serious risk. The absence of dust masks and other essential gear raises deep concerns about the working conditions of the city’s sanitation workforce.

This shocking neglect not only highlights the poor treatment meted out to frontline workers but also signals a breach of the Smart City project’s health and safety norms, which clearly mandate the provision of PPEs and dust-filtering masks for sanitation workers. These guidelines are designed specifically to prevent exposure to hazardous particulate matter, which can lead to chronic respiratory illnesses, lung infections, and long-term damage to internal organs.
“The dust we inhale every morning is unbearable. We fall sick often, but we don’t have any option except to keep working,” said one of the sweepers, requesting anonymity. Many of them shared similar stories of being forced to work in unsafe conditions without even the basic protection of gloves, boots, or face coverings.

Even as the world embraces the 21st-century vision of automation, innovation, and sustainability under the banner of Industry 4.0, the streets of Srinagar paint a grimly contrasting picture. This outdated practice not only endangers the health of these frontline workers, leading to respiratory diseases and long-term lung damage, but also undermines the core principles of Industry 4.0, which emphasize human-centric automation, occupational safety, and sustainable development. The scene starkly contradicts the promises of the Smart City Mission and the technological advancements associated with modern urban management. In an era where cities are adopting sensor-based cleaning systems, robotic sweepers, and vacuum-assisted vehicles, Srinagar’s sanitation workers are still relying on the most primitive methods — sweeping dry dust into the air, inhaling it without any protection.

“Smart city doesn’t just mean Wi-Fi zones and decorative lights. It starts with the people who keep it clean,” said a concerned resident from Lal Chowk. “If we can invest in smart poles and surveillance cameras, why not invest in smart sanitation systems?”

Industry 4.0 norms call for the integration of advanced tools — such as automated street sweepers, real-time air quality monitoring, ergonomic cleaning equipment, and AI-enabled route planning — all aimed at reducing human effort and exposure to harmful pollutants. Sadly, these technologies remain absent from Srinagar’s sanitation strategy.

Authorities must realise that without the safety and well-being of sanitation workers, the dream of a smart, sustainable Srinagar will remain incomplete. It’s time the SMC adopted innovative, worker-friendly methods aligned with modern standards, ensuring that progress doesn’t come at the cost of the most vulnerable. Immediate intervention is needed — not just to supply PPEs and dust masks — but to modernize the entire system of urban cleanliness with technology and compassion at its core.

This incident underscores the pressing need for the SMC and other authorities to take immediate corrective action. It is unacceptable that in the name of urban cleanliness and beautification, the health and dignity of the city’s sanitation workers are being compromised.
Concerned citizens and local advocacy groups should demand an urgent investigation into this lapse and the implementation of strict measures to ensure that all sanitation workers are provided with standard protective equipment, appropriate training, and that their dignity and value are upheld without further delay. If Srinagar is to truly become a Smart City, it must start by treating its frontline workers with the care, respect, and safety they rightfully deserve.

SAAD PARVEZ, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Director GIF-NIT Srinagar, PI iTBI-DST Project