SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY
Living with a 60 per cent physical disability since childhood, stunted growth, pov erty and an unemployed husband at home can crush any wom an’s morale. But not 40-year-old Chaya Bhanu Rane, a waste col lector from Latambarcem gram panchayat in Bicholim taluka. Despite all these challenges, she has been working for the past several years with the aim of giv ing her family a respectable life. “When I was a child, one of my legs was affected by an illness, and since then I have faced dif ficulty walking. I also stopped growing in height. Even with these challenges, I never gave up.
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I wanted to support my family and build a better future for my daughter,” Chaya told O Heraldo. Just 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall, she lives with her husband and 14-year-old daughter, who is studying in Class 8. “Since my marriage, my hus band has not been working, and I am the only earning member of my family. For the past seven years, I have been working as a waste collector with the Latam barcem panchayat. My main re sponsibility is waste segregation. It is not an easy job, as many peo ple think. Working with waste every day is physically demand ing and requires a lot of effort,” she said. Chaya’s disability makes her work physically challenging. “While working at the waste segregation plant, I have to stand for long hours, which often caus es pain, discomfort and fatigue in my leg. Walking around the plant and carrying out my daily work requires extra effort, and I some times find it difficult to maintain my balance, especially on uneven or slippery surfaces,” she said.
Lifting or moving waste materials also puts additional strain on her body. “Despite these physical challenges, I perform my duties with dedication and sincerity,” she said. Her dedication can also be gauged from the fact that she continued working even during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is because I consider waste management an essen tial service,” she said. At present, she is working on a contract basis. Her big gest wish is to get a permanent position at her workplace to have job security and provide a better future for her fam i ly. “I receive a monthly disability pension of Rs 2,000 from the Government, in addition to my salary. But that is not enough. I have always wanted to work in a better place, but because of my disability and limited education, I have not had many opportunities,” she lamented.
Apart from physical and financial hardships, Chaya has also had to bear the mental trauma caused by people’s taunts regarding her disability and work. “In the past, some people made negative comments about me because I am differently abled. Others used to tell me that my work was filthy and undignified. But I al ways explained that waste segregation is not an easy job. It requires hard work, patience and dedication every single day,” she said. Her life has become a little easier thanks to a specially designed two-wheeler given to her by North Goa Lok Sab ha MP Shripad Naik under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme. “Today, I proudly support my family and try to ensure that my daughter continues her education. The hope of giv ing my family a better life gives me the strength to work harder,” she said. She believes that disability should never stop anyone from achieving their dreams. “With determination, hard work and the support of the right people, every challenge can be overcome,” she said.
