Ludhiana mayor distributes 12 safety kits to sewermen

As per officials, the kits, which include masks, body covers, gum boots, hand gloves, helmets, and belts, were purchased for around ₹2 crore under the National Clean Air Programme

Mayor Balkar Sandhu distributed 24 of the 1,641 safety kits acquired by the municipal corporation among the sewermen at the municipal corporation’s Zone D office on Friday.

Ludhiana has around 1,700 sewermen, and the MC already had a few safety kits. The mayor said, “Directions have been issued to the staff to stop manual scavenging. In case a sewerman has to enter the manhole for cleaning, he should be wearing a safety kit. (HT PHOTO )

As per officials, the kits, which include masks, body covers, gum boots, hand gloves, helmets, and belts, were purchased for around ₹2 crore under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) . Around 40 oxygen cylinders were also purchased for the safety of those entering manholes.

Ludhiana has around 1,700 sewermen, and the MC already had a few safety kits. The mayor said, “Directions have been issued to the staff to stop manual scavenging. In case a sewerman has to enter the manhole for cleaning, he should be wearing a safety kit. The kits will be evenly distributed in all four zones.” 

In the past, sewermen have died or fainted after inhaling poisonous gases in the manholes.

A controversy had also erupted over manual scavenging in September last year, with the then chairperson of the Punjab State Safai Karamchari Commission, Geja Ram Valmiki, moving the high court, seeking action against the officials over the alleged incident of manual scavenging in Jugiana area.