“I’ve been a garbage collector in the trains for over 15 years now. Every day, I collect the dry waste which includes plastic bottles and wrappers in the train. I then take these trash to the plastic recycling plant. My earning depends on whatever I’ve collected during the week. I don’t have a stable job and income so there’s absolutely no question of getting a pension. I like to be independent in life and I just can’t even think of quitting.

I work all 7 days a week. There’s nothing called a paid holiday for me. If I am sick, I take rest in the Railway platform. In train when most of the passengers travel with enjoyment, I collect the garbage thrown in the coaches. Of course, someone has to do this work and I don’t mind being called the garbage guy; I’m used to it after all these years.

But the only thing I’m asking in return is a bit of acknowledgment and respect. People shout at me when I collect the trash during their journey as my presence is a disturbance to them even for a fraction of a second.

I am aware that this plastic trash doesn’t just disappear, there’s a process to discard the trash and dump it in a proper way and I am just trying to explain to them my purpose. I’ve gotten hurt a few times doing my duty but I don’t want to complain about it. I’m just people to think of me before they litter in public places the next time.”