Lost Job In Pandemic, Bhubaneswar Lady Teacher Now Drives BMC's Garbage Collection Vehicle

The ongoing Covid pandemic has snatched away livelihood of many and forced individuals to find other sources of income for survival. One such story that has emerged from the capital city of Odisha shows the real picture. This is Smrutirekha Behera. She was once a teacher at a private school in Bhubaneswar. She used to teach small kids and her husband worked in an auto shop. Her family led a decent and happy life, until the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. Suddenly, her life turned completely upside down. Her husband lost his job after the lockdown was imposed to restrict the spread of Covid-19 infection. Even Smrutirekha lost her job after the school was shut. With no other option left, she was forced to take up the job of a driver for the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), and that's how a teacher became a Safaiwala. Smrutirekha now drives the garbage collection vehicle of BMC and transports domestic waste to dump yard every day. It’s been over a year now since the pandemic, Smrutirekha's family is still struggling to find a means of survival.