Bengaluru: 225 pourakarmikas to be sent on a study tour to Singapore

Bengaluru: The BBMP is set to identify 225 senior cleanliness staff (pourakarmikas) for a short trip to Singapore.

The selection will be based on experience, and the trip will be funded by both the social welfare and urban development departments. Pourakarmikas from other municipal corporations will also join the tour.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Special Commissioner (Health and Welfare) Vikas Suralkar confirmed to DH that the civic body has received instructions from the government to suggest names for the trip. “Such tours have been conducted in the past. We will first identify the staff and assist them with the passport application process,” he said.

The BBMP employs around 20,000 pourakarmikas to maintain around 14,000 km of city streets, managing tasks such as sweeping dry leaves and addressing garbage blackspots.

The initiative, which started about seven years ago, aims to enhance urban hygiene and cleanliness by exposing pourakarmikas to best international practices.

It also seeks to inspire behavioural changes and encourage them to become cleanliness ambassadors in their communities.

To date, around 600 cleanliness staff have participated in the study tour to Singapore. However, the programme was paused last year due to passport issues.