Gurugram's luxury towers stink as Bengali-speaking sanitation workers 'vanish overnight'

File photo used for representational purpose only

Gurugram has been recently facing an unexpected and distressing crisis, as piles of garbage have taken over the streets, spilling across neighbourhoods once known for their cleanliness and order, Hindustan Times reported.

According to the report, hundreds of migrant workers, particularly Bengali-speaking domestic workers and sanitation staff, have fled Gurugram. Their sudden disappearance has left housing societies and city officials scrambling. These workers, many of whom have lived in the city for years, have left behind their jobs and homes out of fear, following a police drive that allegedly involved random checks, detentions, and deportation threats.

From Palam Vihar and Sector 57 to Golf Course Extension Road and newer parts of the city, uncollected garbage bags line the roads, and waste collection has come to a halt in many places. With no formal workforce left to manage it, residents are now hiring tractor trolleys to carry waste to dumping spots. But without trained staff or proper segregation, this has only led to more unplanned and hazardous dumping.

“They didn’t even inform us. Many just vanished overnight out of fear,” HT quoted Richa Vohra, a waste volunteer in Sector 57, as saying.
Between July 13 and 21, nearly 100 people, most of them working as house helps or garbage collectors, were allegedly detained. Some were released and allegedly asked to board trains to Assam. Families of those detained say that many didn’t even get a chance to collect their Aadhaar cards or speak to anyone. “The police just picked them up. My brother-in-law was one of them,” said a relative of Anwar Hussain, a garbage collector.

Residents claim that many of these workers are Indian citizens who have been part of Gurugram’s workforce for years. Their only apparent fault seems to be their language and region of origin.

The situation has sparked outrage among citizen groups and activists. “This is not a surprise event. This is a crisis long in the making. If the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) had followed the 2016 Solid Waste Management Rules and institutionalised informal workers, we wouldn’t be in this situation,” Kusum Sharma, a waste management expert told HT.

Citizens for Clean Air and other groups have warned of a looming public health emergency. Their demands include setting up temporary dry waste depots, clear public communication, and emergency systems to handle daily waste. “Without trained hands and proper systems, unsegregated dumping is happening everywhere, harming air, water, and soil,” Sharma added.

Meanwhile, housing societies are trying to fill the void, without support or guidance from the MCG. “This is a legal failure. Door-to-door waste collection is a legal requirement under national rules. Ignoring it is dangerous,” said Parimal Bardhan, a social sector expert.

Meanwhile, MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya has acknowledged the crisis, admitting that most waste workers are migrants and their absence has severely affected operations. “Most of the drivers and waste collectors are migratory workers, and their going away will affect our operations. We’re working with senior officials and the chief minister to find alternatives and minimise disruption,” HT quoted commissioner Dahiya as saying.