MCG issues public advisory cautioning residents that unsafe cleaning of septic tanks, sewer lines can lead to imprisonment

Officials said “it is a common practice”, especially in factories and private companies located between Hero Honda Chowk and Kherki Daula toll plaza, and in industrial areas such as Kadipur, and Udyog Vihar among others. MCG is likely to direct its sanitation wing to inspect such sites in the city for “manual scavenging”

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Tuesday warned concerned that “unsafe cleaning of septic tanks and sewer lines will lead to imprisonment of at least two years or ₹2 lakh fine, or both”, reads an official public advisory issued by the civic body.

Unsafe cleaning of sewer lines and septic tanks is a punishable offence under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which carries a heavy monetary penalty and imprisonment, reads the advisory. (HT PHOTO)

MCG officials privy to the matter said that the advisory was issued after two of its workers died of asphyxiation in a sewage well in Rohtak on Saturday. They allegedly entered the sewage well without safety gear. At least 25 people have allegedly died in Gurugram due to unsafe cleaning of septic tanks and sewer lines between 2017 and 2021, according to officials.

Officials said “it is a common practice”, especially in factories and private companies located between Hero Honda Chowk and Kherki Daula toll plaza, and in industrial areas such as Kadipur, and Udyog Vihar among others. MCG is likely to direct its sanitation wing to inspect such sites in the city for “manual scavenging”.

“After the Rohtak incident, we have decided to educate the common people about the rules and regulations of manual scavenging mandatorily, and also take their assistance in notifying MCG about such incidents. MCG has been linked with the national toll free number: 14420, and also an online portal: services.gmda.gov.in, where residents can alert the civic body about manual scavenging incidents. We will take required action in such cases at the earliest,” said a senior MCG official privy to the matter, requesting anonymity.

Unsafe cleaning of sewer lines and septic tanks is a punishable offence under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which carries a heavy monetary penalty and imprisonment, reads the advisory.

“MCG commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja said that under the Act, cleaning of sewer lines and septic tanks under MCG limits cannot be done manually, and if any person gets any sewer line or septic tank cleaned in an unsafe manner, strict action will be taken against them. For the first contravention, a fine of ₹2 lakh or imprisonment for at least two years, or both are imposed, while a second time violation can lead to a fine of ₹5 lakh or imprisonment for five years, or both,” said SS Rohilla, public relations officer (PRO) of MCG.

In 2021, Vinay Pratap Singh, the then MCG commissioner, issued an internal order, saying that “sanitation workers of the civic body were seen indulging in manual scavenging during emergency cases, and in instances where requisite machinery was unavailable”. He cautioned the officials concerned and the residents to stop so or face termination of services, besides penalties and imprisonment.