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Four conservancy workers die due to suffocation while cleaning septic tank near Pune
According to the police, two of them had entered the tank for cleaning and were followed by the other two later who entered to assist them in their work
PUNE Four conservancy workers died due to suffocation while they were cleaning a septic tank inside a residential complex in Kadamvak Vasti of Loni Kalbhor, located 14 km from Pune on Wednesday morning, police said.
The incident took place at 11.30 am inside the Malhar Appa residential building on Pathare vasti road in Kadamvak Vasti of Loni Kalbhor.
The deceased have been identified as Sikandar Popat Kasabe, Padmakar Maruti Waghmare, Krishna Datta Jadhav and Roopesh Kamble.
According to the police, two of them had entered the tank for cleaning and were followed by the other two later who entered to assist them in their work.
According to Loni Kalbhor police station incharge Rajendra Mokashi, a case of accidental death has been registered at the police station and the post mortem report is awaited.
“Four conservancy workers died due to suffocation in the tank where they were carrying out cleaning work. One of them is a former health worker of Kadamvak Wasti Grampanchayat. We have lodged an accidental death related case as of now but it will be a criminal case once the post mortem report is ready. The bodies have been sent for autopsy after which they will be handed over to the relatives or next of kin,” he said.
A team of Pune Metropolitan and Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) fire brigade officials rushed to the spot after the incident and brought out the dead.
The septic tank was between 10 to 12 feet deep and full of foul smell at the time the first two fell and died. The other two who followed them also met with the same fate, fire brigade officials said.
Prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation Act, 2013, prohibits anyone from manual scavenging by any agency or individual
After the Act came into force, the Centre had recognised 1,2742 manual scavengers in 13 states.
In 2020, the Centre had announced a slew of measures under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India initiative) to end the discriminatory and hazardous practice of manual scavenging by August 2021.
The goal is far from complete, as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale in 2021 said 66,692 manual scavengers were identified across the country.
