(They pointed out to a boy walking past.) "Do you see
that boy? He is a kabadi as you can tell from his bag. He was like all of us, a
part of us. Now he takes smack." JOGINDER.
13 years old.
Address: Hanuman Mandir, CP, New Delhi, originally from village Dhobahan, Gorakhpur.
His story: Ran away from home at age nine. Father alcoholic. Reached Banaras.
Next Lucknow. Caught by the police in Pratapgadh and taken to a child camp. Escaped.
Worked in a dhaba in Mumbai for a year. Was not paid. Came to Delhi as a kabadi.
Fifteen days back left the job of a ragpicker to make garlands. Gets 30 rupees everyday
and 40 – 50 rupees on Tuesdays and Sundays. Earned 50 to 60 rupees as a kabadi but
found the job dirty and not dignified.
"I never bathed because I had to handle kabad. People looked down at me
because I was dirty. Police beating was a regular thing."
Joginder takes solution, bidi, cigarette and daru if he can afford it. As a
ragpicker he sometimes got half-finished solution or alcohol bottles. On asking him if
that was an incentive, besides the fact that they earned more money, for ragpickers
sticking to the profession he said, "the number of times it happens is too less to
make a difference".
"I would be happy if I could earn 1000 to 1200 rupees a month."
DEEPAK.
17 years old.
Address: Gole Park, Palika Bazar, Gate no 2, originally from Ludhiana, Punjab
His Story: Left home at age 10. Came to Delhi. Did "finance work".
Took people who wanted loans to ‘boss’. 1000 rupees a month. Next worked for a
goldsmith. 1200 rupees a month. Occasionally worked as a waiter. 80 to 100 rupees a day.
Worked in marriage bands, carrying the light in wedding procession. 100 rupees for one
night of work but the back hurts later. "When people stop and keep dancing, it is
very painful". No strength for it now because he is a solution addict. When
ragpicking, finds half-finished bottles of alcohol. Once even a foreign brand and "it
was amazing".
"When I have money I can have alcohol but now it is mostly solution."
"Don’t write all this or take my picture because newspapers travel and might
reach my village. Then they will know what I do and my parents will be shamed."
A Ragpicker’s
Treasures
Paua – a quarter bottle of alcohol sells for 50 paisa
Adha – half bottle of alcohol Rs. 1
Full size bottle – Rs. 1.50
Beer bottle – Rs. 1.50 to 1.75
Cardboard – Rs.2.5 per kg
Kadak, a type of plastic - Rs. 10 per kg
Tamba, copper wires – Rs. 90 per kg
Iron – Rs 5 per kg
Iron sheets – Rs. 25 per kg |
