This means that every ragpicker contributes Rs 2400 worth of unpaid labour per annum to the municipality.

Estimates computed on the basis of data generated by the cooperative scrap store run by the Kagad, Kach, Patra, Kashtakari Panchayat have some startling revelations in store. With the average earnings of every ragpicker amounting between Rs 50 to Rs 75 per day, at conservative estimates this amounts to Rs 3,75,000 per day. Pune has around 7000 scrap collectors of which more than 10 per cent are children. Of adult ragpickers, wastepickers constitute 85 per cent and intermediary buyers constitute 15 per cent.

Over 90 per cent of the ragpickers are women. An estimated 4000 wastepickers, dabba batliwallas and bhangarwallas from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Miraj, Solapur, Karad, Usmanabad, Latur and Nashik will participate in the convention on March 25.