The Invisible Labor of Cleanliness: Caste, Class, and the Urban “Sanitized” Image
1. The Illusion of the Clean City
When we walk through a gleaming shopping mall or a pristine metro station, we admire the cleanliness. The floors shine, and the air smells of lemon. However, we rarely pause to ask: “Who keeps it this way?”
The urban aesthetic relies on a powerful magic trick. It makes the dirt disappear, but more importantly, it makes the cleaner disappear.
Consequently, the city presents itself as a self-cleaning machine. But behind every shiny surface lies a human body. Usually, this body belongs to a person from a marginalized caste. Therefore, our comfort is directly subsidized by their invisibility.
2. Analysis: The Caste-Labor Nexus
We often speak of the “Labor Market” as if it were a neutral space where jobs are allocated based on skill and demand. However, when it comes to sanitation in India, there is no “market.” There is only Destiny. The relationship between the act of cleaning and specific caste identities (primarily Valmikis, Helas, and Doms) is not incidental; it is structural. This is what we call the Caste-Labor Nexus.
This nexus operates on a terrifyingly simple premise: Some people are born to clean, so that others may remain pure. Modern urbanization has not dissolved this ancient feudal contract; it has simply rewritten it into municipal employment contracts.
A. Hereditary Pollution vs. Institutional Purity
The concept of “Purity and Pollution” is central to the caste system. Historically, the handling of human waste was assigned to the “Untouchables” because the act was considered spiritually polluting. Today, the language has changed from “spiritual pollution” to “hygiene management,” but the workforce remains identical.
Furthermore, this creates a vicious cycle. Because society views the work as “filthy,” it stigmatizes the worker. Because the worker is stigmatized, they are barred from other forms of employment (like cooking or retail). Consequently, they are forced back into sanitation to survive. The broom becomes an inheritance passed from father to son.
B. The Rigged Recruitment Machine
One might argue, “But government jobs are open to everyone!” Let us look at the data. When municipal corporations advertise permanent positions for “Safai Karamcharis” (Sanitation Workers), a strange phenomenon occurs.
JOB: SEWER CLEANER (Risk: High)
*Even when Upper Castes apply (lured by the government salary), they often bribe officials to be deployed as “Supervisors” or “Clerks,” leaving the actual cleaning to the Dalits.*
C. The Myth of Choice
A common neoliberal argument is that these workers “choose” this work because it pays a steady wage. This ignores the reality of Coerced Labor.
They do this work because they lack the skills for other jobs.
Many sanitation workers have degrees (B.A., B.Com). They apply for other jobs but are rejected due to caste bias. Sanitation is the only door open to them.
D. The Biological Toll: The Body as a Filter
The city produces toxins—chemical sludge, medical waste, and biological excreta. Instead of investing in advanced machinery to process this, the city uses the Dalit Body as a biological filter.
Workers enter manholes often without masks, gloves, or oxygen cylinders. They absorb methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide directly into their blood. This is not “labor”; this is slow violence.
E. The Economic Trap
Finally, the nexus is sealed by debt. Because the work is hazardous, workers often fall ill. They take loans from local moneylenders for medical treatment. To pay off these loans, they must advance their salary or pledge their children’s labor to the municipality. The “steady government job” becomes a cage of debt bondage.
Therefore, dismantling this nexus requires more than just higher wages. It requires breaking the link between lineage and labor. It requires a societal admission that cleanliness is a shared civic duty, not a hereditary punishment.
3. Keeping the “Other” at Bay
To maintain the “Sanitized” image, the city must also sanitize its population. This leads to strict zoning and gated communities.
Furthermore, observe the separate elevators for “Service Staff” in luxury apartments. Observe the separate entrances. These architectural choices are designed to enforce a social distance. They say: “We want your labor, but we do not want your presence.”
In contrast, a truly inclusive city would integrate these workers. It would provide them with housing near their work, not push them into slums on the periphery.
4. Conclusion: Breaking the Cycle
We cannot clean our cities by dirtying our souls. The “Sanitized Image” is a lie if it is built on oppression.
To change this, we must:
- Mechanize: End manual scavenging completely through technology.
- Dignify: Pay sanitation workers wages comparable to skilled technicians.
- See Them: Acknowledge the human being behind the broom.
Finally, we must realize that cleanliness is a shared responsibility, not a caste-based punishment.
