Modified loading Rickshaw and its acceptability among scrap collectors

Scrap or waste collectors of India, the unsung environmental heroes collect scrap/ waste from individual households, sort and process the scrap, and sell the materials to larger recyclers for very small amounts of money (Drake, 2018). This paper showed the acceptability of the modified ‘LR’ (GSLR) among Scrap Collectors. The main aim of this research was to identify the problems of scrap collector and as per the problems, to make changes in current ‘Loading Rickshaw’ that help to make their work more effectively with less expenses. Findings of the present study revealed that majority of the respondents (43.00%) belonged to 30-35 years of age were educated up to primary class (55.00%) present study further revealed that 52.00 percent respondents’ monthly income was Rs. 10000-14000. The present study revealed that majority of scrap collectors collected 50-100 kg of scrap on an average per day (53.00%). It was found that 93.00 percent respondents felt discomfort and sweating due to scorching heat in the summer season. Regarding health problems faced by the scrap collectors, 64.00 percent of respondents reported tiredness and fatigue, followed by body pain (61.00%). As per the problem faced by scrap collectors modifications in ‘LR’. It was found that modifications in ‘LR’ “removable roof shade/canopy” and “change in drive gear in rickshaw” were medium to highly acceptable in terms of comfortability, suitability, compatibility followed by “partitions in the cart provided”. For the modification of the Loading Rickshaw, locally available materials were used so that modification could easily be done by the Raddiwalas / Kabadiwalas. Existing Loading Rickshaw was modified named as Gahlawat Sehgal Loading Rickshaw (GSLR). It was a low- cost technology.