Documentary sheds light on lives of TN sanitation workers

CHENNAI: Dasra, a strategic philanthropy organisation, has taken a significant step to shed light on the often-overlooked lives of sanitation workers through a documentary, titled Tracing the Tracks. This documentary features the compelling and uncensored stories of five sanitation workers from Tamil Nadu: Prema, Chitrakala, Muthulakshmi, Bharathi, and Divya. These individuals play an essential role in maintaining safe waste management practices, benefiting the entire community, yet their experiences and voices have remained in the shadows.

“In the discourse surrounding sanitation labour, the genuine voices of the workers have frequently been overlooked. Tracing the Tracks endeavours to rectify this by shifting away from preconceived notions about sanitation work and deliberately centring the narratives of sanitation workers themselves. This documentary delves into what it means to be a sanitation worker and how that impacts their and their families’ lives. Through this, we aim to spotlight their perspectives on the challenges they face, as well as their reflections on their own identities as they continue to work in this intergenerational profession.” - Apurva Vurity, manager of Dasra, told DT Next.

Divya, one of the featured sanitation workers, shared her personal journey in the documentary. “I have been handling a septic tank vehicle for seven years now. I learned this while working with my aunt who was in this profession. We follow strict processes while operating, including inspecting the tank for its location, condition, and any possible blockages. The hose is heavy and I struggled during the initial days. But now, with experience, things have become easier for me. Even if it is a 25-foot hose, I can pull it myself. I often get questioned about my choice of doing septic tank work and entering a male-dominated space. But the women of the households that we visit support me. I am also expanding my work and have started buying and selling vehicles. My main focus is to overcome the difficulties and support my family.”