In Guwahati alone, generation of plastic waste worsen the situation with more than 5000 kg per day as per the report (Anonymous, 2004) among the plastic waste generation carry bag accounts for 15% only. Whereas plastic carry bag is considered as the major responsible for clogging of drain and artificial water logging due to the use and throw practices by the citizens. Accordingly Government of Assam has banned use of plastic carry bag which is below 20 microns. But in reality all plastic carry bags even below 20 microns are also recyclable and collected by the rag pickers.

Rag pickers play an important but usually unrecognized role in the waste management system of Indian cities. According to the NGO Chintan, “rag pickers are unrecognized and have almost no rights to work, despite the fact that they save almost 14% of the municipal budget annually. In Delhi, the army of almost 80,000 estimated waste pickers save the city at least Rs. 6 lakh daily through their work.” They collect garbage in search of recyclable items that can be sold to scrap merchant. This activity requires no skills and is a source of income for a growing number of urban poor. Most of the rag pickers are not independent but work for middlemen or contractors who purchase segregated rag from them on pre-decided rates. A rag picker or a waste picker is a person who picks out recyclable elements from mixed waste wherever it may be temporarily accessible or disposed off. According to UNICEF, rag picking is one of the worst forms of child labour, and falls under the category of street children (UNICEF, 1997). In Assam, rag pickers have migrated mostly from rural areas of other districts mainly Barpeta, Dhubri, Darrang, Nagaon and the middle India. The reasons for the preponderance of migrants within the waste picking population are the very nature of the activity, which requires no skill, no investments and no contacts or references. New migrants in the absence of jobs in an overcrowded labour market as also capital to undertake self employment, find waste picking an activity that can easily and immediately be adopted as survival mechanism. Amongst the costs of migration, no less important is the cost of the degraded living environment. Most waste pickers live in slums settlements or on the pavements; the lone children wandering in the streets during the day and spending the night in night shelters or on the streets themselves. The appalling conditions in the slums and the complete lack of public services, not only create in human living conditions, but are a source of constant ill-health. Especially vulnerable are the small children, who are left to themselves in these conditions all day. A deteriorating health and large investments in medicines and medical services is then a direct consequence of the living conditions in cities.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY:

The present study is designed with the following basic objectives.

1. To know about solid waste of Guwahati city in Assam.

2. To study the living and educational conditions of child rag pickers of Guwahati city in Assam.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The methodological framework used for the study is as under.

Sample

The sample children were selected through purposive and snowball sampling technique. The sample for the study comprised of children below 14 years of age working as rag pickers. As sample size 140 rag pickers were selected from different areas mainly Pachim Boragaon, Maligaon, Fancy Bazar, Lakhtokia, Paltan Bazar, Kornachal, Chandmari, Ganeshguri, Noonmati, Beltola, Kalapahar, and Hatigaon.

Tools used

Interview schedule was prepared to elicit requisite information from the sample respondents.

Data analysis

Both qualitative as well as quantitative technique was used. Data was coded and percentages were calculated in order to analyze the data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The results and discussion of the research study according to objectives of the present study are revealed as follows:

Table-1: Background Information of Child Rag Pickers

Background information No.of individuals	Boys	Girls	Total
	80	60	140
Age group
09----10 11----12 13----14	22 (27.50%) 20 (25.00%) 38 (47.50%)	23 (38.33%) 19 (31.67%) 18 (30.00%)	45 (32.14%) 39 (27.86%) 56 (40.00%)
Type of family
Nuclear Joint Extended	57 (71.25%) 14 (17.50%) 09 (11.25%)	51 (85.00%) 04 (06.67%) 05 (08.33%)	108 (77.14%)18 (12.86%)14 (10.00%)
No. of family member
1----5 6----10 11----14	27 (33.75%) 48 (60.00%) 05 (06.25%)	16 (26.67%) 42 (70.00%) 02 (03.33%)		43(30.71%) 90 (64.29% 07(05.00%)

During the course of investigation it was found that most (32.14%) rag picker children where either aged 9-10 years, or (40.00%) 13-14 years old. It was also found that out of total respondents, 77.14% belonged to nuclear families. Similarly finding was made by Latha (1995) who noted that children working as rag pickers were usually from nuclear families. It was also found that 64.29% and 30.71% of respondents have family members ranging between 6-10 and 1-5 members in their families respectively.

Table-2: Migration Status of Child Rag Pickers

Migration status No. of individuals	Boys	Girls	Total
Migration status No. of individuals	80	60	140
Reasons behind migration
Poverty Insecurity of employment Upgrading living standard	39 (48.75%) 24 (30.00%) 17 (21.25%)	36 (60.00%) 21 (35.00%) 03 (05.00%)	75 (53.57%) 45 (32.14%) 20 (14.29%)
Time elapsed of migration
1----3 3----5 5----7 7----9 Above 9 years	12 (15.00%) 11 (13.75%) 10 (12.50%) 06 (07.50%) 41 (51.25%)	20 (33.33%) 12 (20.00%) 06 (10.00%) 04 (06.67%) 18 (30.00%)	32 (22.86%) 23 (16.43%) 16 (11.43%) 10 (07.14%) 59 (42.14%)

Different reasons were recorded for the migration of rag picker children from their hometowns or villages. The highest percentage (53.57%) of rag picker children mainly attributed to their hard living conditions such as no source of income, poverty and hunger that forced them to leave their native place. These observations were in accordance with those of Khan (1996) and Sekar (2005). In an another study (Mukherjee, 2003), it was estimated that 40.60 percent of child rag pickers left home with their parents who migrated, 10.60 percent left due to poverty or hunger and another 12 percent left due to abuse at home. In the present study, 32.14% of the respondents stated that the most common cause for their migration was economic compulsions in the form of insecurity of employment, low and insecure returns. Somehow, 14.29% respondents showed migration for the purpose of upgrading their standard of living. Therefore, these families came from their native places in order to make money in bulk so that the future of their children will be secured. The table 2 also shows the variation in the time period of their migration from their native place. In this context, majority 42.14% of children reported that they are the second generation of their timely migrated families while 22.86% had migrated less than 3 years of time period and the remaining 16.43% had migrated in between 3-5 years. They also stated that after migration they worked with their families in different cities/towns for a little span of time such as Barpeta, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Nagaon and Tinsukia which they left later due to some reasons. According to them, Guwahati city was safest from the exploitation point of view. Also, they did not found any difficulty in finding place for their home settlement which they had faced in some towns or cities. Above all, it was concluded that all the respondents and their families were time bound migrants who left their villages/towns and stayed as temporary residents at the present site.

Table-3: Shelter at Present Site

Shelter of Children

No. of individuals

Boys

Girls

Total

140

Rented home

Public place

22 (27.50%)

58 (72.50%)

20 (33.33%)

40 (66.67%)

42 (30.00%)

98 (70.00%)

During the course of investigation, most of the (70.00%) child rag pickers were found to be residing at small self created slum dwellings. These families had made temporary houses of hatch, mud and other waste materials for their temporary settlement while other (30.00%) families stayed in the rented houses which were mostly provided by the junkyard owners. These findings were supported by studies (Mukherjee, 2003 and Kumar et al., 2001) conducted in Nepal. In the present findings, it was also noted that these families used to live in close associations with their near and dear ones. The reason for this can be the sense of security. According to them, they were not only disliked by the local residents of Guwahati city but also by other migrated residents who also came in Guwahati city for up grading their standard of living by performing different low paid occupations. The sense of belongingness among them can also be one of the reasons for them to stay in clusters.

Table 4: Economic Status of Families

Economic status No. of individuals	Boys	Girls		Total
	80	60		140
Availability of home
Yes	80 (100%)	60 (100%)	140 (100%)
Availability of agricultural land
Yes	74 (92.50%)	57 (95.00%)		131( 93.57%)
Primary occupation of the family
Labouring Farming & labouring both House painting Fruit selling Flower selling Shoe making Junk yard owner	54 (67.50%) 14 (17.50%) 03 (03.75%) 02 (02.50%) 02 (02.50%) 03 (03.75%) 02 (02.50%)	40 (66.66%) 08 (13.33%) 04 (06.67%) 02 (03.33%) 04 (06.67%) 01 (01.67%) 01 (01.67%)		94 (67.14%) 22 (15.71%) 07 (05.00%) 04 (02.86%) 06 (04.29%) 04 (02.86%) 03 (02.14%)

Three indicators were chosen to determine the economic background of families of child rag pickers namely home ownership, farmland ownership and family occupations. Results reveal that all children had a family owned home at their native place, along with this majority (93.57%) of their families also had farmland. This indicates that though most of these children had a home and farmland available, still because of poverty they were forced to work as rag pickers. Findings reveal that the occupation among families of child rag pickers is of non-agricultural nature, which included the low paid services. Labouring at construction sites (67.14%) was found to be the main occupation among these families. A substantial portion of the children (15.71%) came from families involved in two different occupations namely farming and labouring. At their villages, they were involved in farming on their own farmlands for a short period of time. As a result, they migrated from their hometowns/villages for some time and worked as labourers at construction sites to earn their livelihood. Families involved in occupations like house painting, fruit and flower selling were found to be 05.00%, 02.86% and 04.29% respectively. Also, few families had opted for the profession of shoe making while others worked as junk yard owners to make their living. Rag pickers reported that in the absence of work their families get involved in rural occupations that constituted activities such as agricultural labour, share cropping, tenant farming, basket weaving and cobbling. Therefore, it can be concluded that these children had either migrated with their families or a relative to their occupational sites. A study (Behuru et al., 2005) noted that high rate of illiteracy among the parents of these children has necessitated them to adopt low income generating occupations in order to sustain their life in a highly competitive environment and to financially support their families. In the study, not even a single sample (selected through snow ball sampling) was found to be from family belonging to rag picking profession.

Table-5: Hazards Associated with Rag picking

Hazards* No. of individuals	Boys	Girls	Total
Hazards* No. of individuals	80	60	140
Injuries	67 (83.75%)	31 (51.67%)	98 (70.00%)
Accidents	16 (20.00%)	07 (11.67%)	23 (16.43%)
Diseases	36 (45.00%)	23 (38.33%)	59 (42.14%)
Dog bite	23 (28.75%)	20 (33.33%)	43 (30.71%)
Insect bite	18 (22.50%)	18 (30.00%)	36 (25.71%)
Feeling of insult	13 (16.25%)	05 (08.33%)	18 (12.86%)
Poisonous weeds	03 (03.75%)	04 (06.67%)	07 (05.00%)
Fear of people	09 (11.25%)	01 (01.67%)	10 (07.14%)
Fatigue	60 (75.00%)	40 (66.67%)	100 (71.43%)

* Multiple responses

Child rag pickers were found to be exposed to various physical hazards. Out of total respondents, 70.00% stated that while searching rags on their working sites they usually faced cuts/bruises on their body when they came in contact with broken glasses, metals or other sharp materials. However, Latha (1995) and Singh (1999) stated that rag picker children usually faced cuts, injuries, skin infections and other common health problems like cold, cough and fever while Furedy (1992) revealed that rag pickers were unaware of infections hazards associated with gathering wastes and also reported various problems like backache, rheumatic pains and cuts. He also mentioned that these children do not take any precautions against infection. During field study, it was recorded that sickness was a common phenomenon, about 42.14% of respondents admitted that they were subjected to illness due to cold or infection when they came in contact with contaminants, dead animals or hookworm. Dog bite was also found to be the common and important physical hazard associated with rag picking as 30.71% of the respondents mentioned that they had faced dog bites while other physical hazards reported by them included poisonous insect bites (25.71%) and weeds (05.00%). However, 16.43% of respondents stated that they had also faced accidents in this work. In some cases, hidden dangers like uncovered underground tanks also became the cause of accident. In a study Habib (2007) noted that these children (30%) did not get treatment of their injuries. Irrespective of all these physical hazards children liked to choose this work as they believed that rag picking is a quick earning method. It was found that an important factor influencing this opinion is the freedom of working on the streets. They are their own bosses as they do not have to apply specific rules or schedules. Most of these children had positive perception towards their work. The present work was found to be in consonance with Kumar (2001) and Mukherjee (2003) who stated that they enjoy rag picking as they felt that rag picking is an easy way to make a living.

Table-6: Educational Issues of Rag Pickers

Education of rag pickers No. of individuals	Boys	Girls	Total
Education of rag pickers No. of individuals	80	60	140
In school	06 (07.50%)	07 (11.67%)	13 09.29%)
Out of school	74 (92.50%)	53 (88.33%)	127 (90.71%)
Reasons for out of school
Poverty and hunger	34 (42.50%)	25 (41.67%)	59 (42.14%)
Lack of interest of parents	17 (21.25%)	14 (23.33%)	31 (22.14%)
Death of a parent/both parents	12 (15.00%)	08 (13.33%)	20 (14.29%)
School time is not suitable	04 (05.00%)	03 (05.00%)	07 (05.00%)
Family responsibility	07 (08.75%)	06 (10.00%)	13 (09.29%)
Language problem	06 (07.50%)	04 (06.67%)	10 (07.14%)

Reasons for rag pickers of out of school reported in the table-6 are also depicted graphically in following figure.

Figure shows the reasons of out of school rag pickers in percentages. As observation from the table-6 and figure, a large majority (90.71%) of the children rag pickers were out of school children. Most of the children rag pickers were withdrawn from schools at the average age of 12 – 14 years. The boys often worked in their parent’s business while the girls were made to take up the household responsibility. Children were out of school for different reasons. The study revealed that 42.14% children were out of school because of poverty and hunger that forced them to keep away from the school. It was found that 22.14% children were out of school because their parents or contractors (for whom they were working) were not interested in sending their children to school. Moreover, many children were already making quite a lot of money by rag picking and did not see the point of going to school. For death of a parent or both parents 14.29% of children were not going to school. It was found that 09.29% child rag pickers said that they were responsible for their family and had to work and 05.00% of children were not going to school because school hours did not allow them for going to school. Language was a big barrier as migrant children and for this reason 07.14% children were out of school.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present empirical work highlight the pitiable working and living conditions of child rag pickers of Guwahati city of Assam. Most of these children had migrated from other districts of Assam and the middle India in search of livelihood. Poverty and hunger was the major factor leading to these children to work as rag pickers. Most of the children had accompanied their parents to the city of Guwahati in search of a better future. The sample children lived in small self created slum areas without the basic necessities of life. Though at their native place they had home and farm land available, yet poverty led to their migration. The children were exposed to many health hazards and infections. Thus, there is an urgent need to look into the lives of these children who have been robbed of their childhood and design some initiatives so that they are afforded a life of dignity and security.

REFERENCES

1. Anonymous. State generates 50,000 kg of plastic waste per day. The Assam Tribune 66 (281), 2004, p. 1

2. Joseph, K. Prospective of solid waste management in India. In: International Symposium on the Technology and Management of the Treatment & Reuse of the Municipal Solid Waste, Shanghai, China. 2002

3. http://pratham.org/images/paper_on_ragpickers.pdf

4. http://www.kamal.com/kalranga/people/rag_pickers/index.htm

5. Khan S. A. and Kumar A., 1996. A Case Study of Rag-pickers in Kanpur City. In: Children in difficult circumstances: Summaries on Research, National Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development, New Delhi. 1996; p.279

6. Kumar B. K. C., Gurung Y. B., Adhikari K. P. and Subedi G. Nepal situation of child rag pickers: A Rapid Assessment by Central Department of Population Studies (CDPS), A report submitted to the Tribhuvan University of Kathmandu, Nepal. 2001

7. Mukherjee S. Child Rag-pickers in Nepal: A Report on the 2002-2003 baseline survey. 2003

8. Sekar H. R. Child labour in Rag-picking: NLI study, Indian Worker. 2005; 49(9) p.9

9. Singhal S. and Pandey S. 2001. Solid Waste management in India: status and future directions. TERI Information Monitor on Environmental Science. 2001; 6(1): pp.1-4 UNICEF. Strategies for Eliminating Child Labour: Prevention, Removal and Rehabilitation. International Conference of Child Labour, Oslo, Synthesis Document, New York. 1997

Received on 27.11.2012

Modified on 20.02.2013

Accepted on 28.02.2013

Research J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 4(2): April-June, 2013, 185-189