Delhi government panel on manual scavenging meets first time

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday chaired the first meeting of the state-level monitoring committee, constituted nine months ago to discuss measures to stop manual scavenging in the national capita

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday chaired the first meeting of the state-level monitoring committee, constituted nine months ago to discuss measures to stop manual scavenging in the national capital.

Municipal worker attempts to unblock a sewer overflowing with human excreta in New Delhi on October 7, 2009. (HT File Photo)

The meeting, held in the Delhi secretariat, comes days after six workers died in two separate incidents while cleaning sewers.

The CM instructed all district magistrates (DMs) to soon complete surveys in their areas, identifying manual scavengers and steps taken to rehabilitate them and employ them in civil defence, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Delhi’s social welfare minister who attended the meeting, said.

“In districts where the survey finds no manual scavengers, the DMs will be held accountable for any mishap,” the minister said. The districts which reported zero manual scavengers were asked to conduct the survey again.

Of the 11 districts, three (Shahdara, northeast and east districts) have submitted the report identifying 45 manual scavengers, who, the minister said, will be given jobs in civil defence.

The committee was set up in December 2017, in accordance with provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and was supposed to meet once in six months.

The chief minister asked the minister to submit a report within a week on why the committee couldn’t meet since its inception.

“For proper implementation of the Act, secretary, SC/ST welfare department, Rinku Dhugga has been asked to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) on how to rehabilitate the families of manual scavengers and provide houses to them. The report will be submitted to the government,” Gautam said.

The additional district magistrates (ADMs) have been asked to look at the mishaps that have taken place in their regions in the past five years, begin a trial and prosecute those found guilty to set a precedent, he said.

The minister said Delhi Jal Board has prepared an SOP for cleaning sewers to regulate private firms that force workers to clean septic tanks and sewers.

“Anyone firm found guilty will be prosecuted as per the law,” he said.