Odisha Leads with Bhubaneswar Declaration to Safeguard Sanitation Workers’ Rights

Bhubaneswar: Odisha reaffirmed its leadership in sanitation reform as the two-day National Conference on “Ensuring Dignity, Safety, and Inclusion of Core Sanitation Workers” concluded in Bhubaneswar with the adoption of the Bhubaneswar Declaration. The declaration signals a collective national commitment to strengthen rights, dignity, and welfare for sanitation workers.

Organised under the state’s flagship GARIMA initiative, the conference brought together representatives from 12 states, 34 development organisations, core sanitation workers, urban local body officials, and experts in the sanitation sector. The event created space for shared learning, dialogue, and field engagement aimed at transforming the lives of those working at the foundation of India’s hygiene and sanitation systems.

At the valedictory session, Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra honoured sanitation marketplace vendors, recognising their essential contribution to the sanitation value chain. His gesture underlined the government’s commitment to acknowledging all stakeholders working behind the scenes to maintain public hygiene.

Delivering the keynote address, Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, expressed pride in Odisha’s role in placing sanitation worker rights at the centre of national discourse. She reiterated Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s announcement that the National GARIMA Workshop would be held annually in July, reinforcing Odisha’s commitment to sustained collaboration and innovation in this field.

Padhee highlighted key outcomes from the workshop, stressing the importance of robust social protection frameworks, improvements in occupational health and safety standards, policy reforms to formalise informal workers, and the integration of women and transgender individuals into sanitation roles with dignity and safeguards. She also noted the value of using technology and data systems to ensure that welfare benefits reach workers efficiently.

Since its launch in 2020, the GARIMA initiative has emerged as a pioneering model for dignified sanitation work. Through structured efforts, the scheme has ensured safety, fair wages, insurance, identity documentation, grievance redressal, emergency services, and social security support for sanitation workers across Odisha.

Throughout the conference, delegates engaged in thematic discussions on sanitation workforce management, financing for worker welfare, mental health, safety protocols, and innovations in mechanised sanitation. Experience-sharing sessions allowed frontline sanitation workers and ULB officials to reflect on their challenges and achievements. Delegates also visited key sanitation infrastructure in Bhubaneswar, including the Odisha Urban Academy, Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant, and Material Recovery Facility.

In their closing remarks, Additional Secretary Durgesh Nandini Sahoo and Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua thanked participants for their contributions. The event concluded with a collective call to uphold the dignity of sanitation workers not only through laws and declarations but through daily practices that value their work and ensure their safety and well-being.

The Bhubaneswar Declaration, as the conference’s concluding statement, now stands as a guiding framework for other states to emulate Odisha’s human-centered sanitation reform. With the promise of annual dialogue, continued innovation, and greater inclusion, Odisha has set the tone for a nationwide movement focused on justice and respect for sanitation workers.