Ambala fails to stop manual scavenging

Five sanitation workers hired by a municipal corporation contractor were seen manually scavenging an open drain at Jaggi Colony near NH-44

Despite employment of manual scavengers and manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment being illegal under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, five sanitation workers hired by a municipal corporation contractor were seen manually scavenging an open drain at Jaggi Colony near NH-44 on Monday.

The manual scavengers were seen struggling to clean the sewer with bamboo sticks and one of them even got a foot injury due to a broken glass. (HT File Photo)

MC officials on Wednesday assured of a clarification from the contractor.

The workers were seen struggling to clean the sewer with bamboo sticks and one of them even got a foot injury due to a broken glass. A worker said, “Sometimes we have to clean deep drains despite the foul smell. We have to earn a living, what else we can do?”

As per sources, the contract is awarded for three months before the monsoon every year to clean Ghel Road drain, INCO drain, Police Line drain and this drain behind Pooja Sarees Complex. Workers have to get down into these drains to clean them.

Chaman Lal, district president of the Nagar Palika Karamchari Sangh, said, “The union doesn’t mandate sanitation workers on-roll with the corporation to engage in manual scavenging. We got to know that these were workers hired by a contractor, who made them work without any gloves, gumshoes or other safety equipment.”

This open drain passing through Jaggi Colony, Vita Enclave, Transport Nagar and beyond to the highway, and residents, have time and again complained of foul smell throughout the year. Chief sanitary inspector Madan Lal, who assured of sharing details about the contractor, couldn’t be contacted later.

Municipal commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata said that the tender was allotted before he joined in the second week of this month.

“These are stormwater drains, but as they pass through residential areas, sewage waste gets added. I will ensure that safety gear is worn by the employees and will get an explanation from the agency concerned for this lapse,” the officer said.