Asianet Newsable found three manual scavengers cleaning a blocked manhole. They had no gloves, mask or oxygen cylinders. All of which are mandatory.
In a shocking discovery, Asianet Newsable found three manual scavengers cleaning a blocked manhole without any safety measures at HMT Layout, second cross, RT Nagar next to St Jude Church.
They had no gloves, mask or oxygen cylinders - all are which are mandatory before a person takes up drain cleaning.
Asianet Newsable caught the act of opening the manhole and cleaning it without safety measures and what is more shockingly is that there were no officials present on the field.
However, when we caught up the concerned official, he had a ready excuse. "The officials are always present during any such cleaning act, but in this case, the officials or an in-charge person would have gone for tea break," said BWSSB Junior Engineer, Lathif.
He added that all safety equipment have been provided to the group D workers basically scavengers, but they never use them.
The incident happened on Friday, ironically the Hebbal MLA's office and BBMP ward office in only 200 meters away.
KB Oblesha, Convener, State Safai Karmachari Kavalu Samithi said: " As per the rule book no person, local authority or agency can hire persons for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or septic tank."
It is a punishable offence with upto 2 years jail/and or Rs 2 lakh fine can be imposed. And if caught the second time, you could be jailed for five years and or will have to Rs 5 lakh fine.
Sadly even district collectors have very little understanding of this Act. They can take immediate action but often have no idea what to do even in the event of death, he added.
"The BWSSB engineers and Health Inspectors of BBMP should have been present on the field and have to monitor the cleaning act. The scavengers should be made open the manhole cover only if he is wearing a mask.
He should be wearing gloves, gumboots and also have an oxygen cylinder, but in these case all these safety precautions are ignored, and officials should be held responsible," said Oblesha.
He also added that a case of negligence can be booked against officials in this regard as per rules this practice is banned.
The opening of a manhole cover is always risky as the gas present inside can result in a person falling unconscious state. "If a person falls inside, he will surely die. Many death cases in manhole in Benagluru are example of lack of administration," said Dr Sylvia Karpagam, Health activist.
"The health system in India is almost completely inaccessible to the poor and marginalised of the country. In that pathetic background, people who are engaged in manual scavenging are discriminated on all fronts.
The kinds of injuries and health issues faced by this community, and the total absence of any kind of state social net, holds a mirror to our apathy and complete lack of moral conscience as citizens of a country," she added.
