MCG issues notice to contractor after worker seen cleaning sewer without gears

MCG issued a notice to a contractor after a worker was seen cleaning a sewer without safety gear. Violations could lead to penalties and safety breaches.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has issued a notice to a contractor agency after a sanitation worker was seen cleaning an MCG sewer without safety gear in Ashok Vihar Phase 3 on Wednesday morning, officials said.

MCG issues notice to contractor after worker seen cleaning sewer without gears

The notice, accessed by HT, read that during an inspection, it was found that sewer cleaning was being carried out without mandatory safety equipment, such as gas detectors, oxygen cylinders, safety harness and personal protective equipment (PPEs).

“This is a serious violation of safety norms and contract conditions. The contractor (A One Enviro Infra LLP) is directed to ensure immediate availability and use of all mandatory safety equipment at site. Any accident arising due to non-compliance shall be sole responsibility of the agency,” the notice read.

Nitu, the agency’s owner, said they did not know that the worker had entered the manhole for cleaning. “We were unaware that the worker entered the manhole while working. We will ensure that no sanitation worker jumps like this from next time,” Nitu told HT.

This incident comes a day after two contractual sanitation workers died of toxic gases and drowning while cleaning a sewage treatment plant (STP) of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF).

Residents in the area said that at least three to four sanitation workers arrived on Wednesday morning to clean the sewer, during which one worker was seen entering the manhole without protective equipment.

Vikas Hooda, RWA president of Ashok Vihar Phase 3, said that sewer overflow is a persistent problem in the area. “Our lane frequently faces sewer overflow issues, which worsen during the monsoon. While the cleaning is usually done using bucket machines, this time I saw sanitation workers entering the sewer to carry out cleaning,” he said.

A senior MCG official told HT that the contractor will be penalised for violating contractual conditions and for negligence in ensuring workers’ safety.

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, bans the practice of manual cleaning of open drains, sewers and septic tanks. It also makes it mandatory for such work to be carried out only with proper mechanised systems and safety equipment, ensuring that no person is directly exposed to toxic gases or harmful waste.