MCG conducts safety training for sewer and drain cleaning staff in Gurugram

The session included hands-on exercises to familiarise staff with standard safety procedures before entering confined spaces.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Friday organised a training programme for sanitation workers to demonstrate correct use of safety equipment for safe sewer and drain cleaning practices under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSRA) Act 2013, officials said.

The programme was held under the Namaste Scheme and the Safai Mitra Suraksha Challenge (HT)

According to officials, workers were trained in using gas detectors, safety harnesses, oxygen support systems, helmets, gloves and other protective gear. The session included hands-on exercises to familiarise staff with standard safety procedures before entering confined spaces.

The programme was held under the Namaste Scheme and the Safai Mitra Suraksha Challenge and in collaboration with safety expert Gaurav Kalia from Prakash Consultancy.

Chief engineer Vijay Dhaka, who inaugurated the training, highlighted the importance of following safety measures, precautions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) during sewer cleaning operations. He urged sanitation workers to take the training seriously and ensure mandatory use of protective equipment while working in the field.

Dhaka added that all sanitation workers employed by the corporation would undergo similar training in monthly batches as part of a phased capacity-building exercise.

MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said, “Under the PEMSRA Act and the SOPs issued by the ministry of housing and urban affairs and the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), the civic body is mandated to ensure strict compliance with safety protocols, and manual scavenging as well as entry into sewers without protective equipment are strictly prohibited.”

Rakesh Valmiki, a representative of sanitation workers in the city, welcomed the initiative and urged workers to strictly follow safety standards during duty to prevent accidents.