Thane sewage tank deaths: Kin refuse to take bodies till contractors punished

Families of 3 labourers who suffocated to death in residential society’s sewage tank demand compensation

The families of three conservancy workers, who died early on Friday while cleaning a sewage tank in a plush residential complex in Thane, refused to claim their bodies from the Thane civic hospital until action was taken against two private contractors for failing to ensure the workers’ safety. The families have also demanded compensation.

Three labourers, among eight tasked to clean a sewage treatment plant at midnight, died allegedly owing to inhalation of toxic fumes

The three, among eight labourers tasked to clean a sewage treatment plant at midnight, died allegedly owing to inhalation of toxic fumes. Another labourer who went to save the three was admitted to a hospital and later discharged.

The police arrested the contractors, Vaibhav Patil, 36, and Jitendra Khair, 32, for negligence as the labourers were not given any safety gear nor was any protocol followed

The three deceased are Amit Piwal, 20, Aman Badal, 21 and Ajay Bumbak, 24.

Jaswir Piwal, brother of Amit Piwal, said, “I was also one of the workers and could have been in Amit’s place . The contractor had not provided us with any safety gear. We were unaware of the dangers and thought that it was like any regular tank-cleaning work.” He said the police should take action against the contractors, only then will his family claim the body of his brother.

Jaswir added, “All of us are friends or relatives of each other. We stayed in the same locality in Bhayander. Bumbak had just got married six months ago, while Badal has a one- and-a-half-year-old son. They were the sole breadwinners of their families.”

Kailash Pawar, civil surgeon at the hospital, said, “All the three bodies are still in hospital. The families have not claimed them.”

A source from the hospital said the relatives have gone to the residential society to demand justice, as they feel the society is equally responsible.

Ajay Piwal, who entered the tank to save his friends, said, “Amit was the first to go inside. He started crying for help when Vijendra Hatwal went inside to help him. The fumes were so strong that he also started feeling breathless. Badal pulled Hatwal out and decided to help Amit. He too got stuck inside, so Bumbak entered to rescue them. When all three failed to come out, I decided to look for them. I tied a rope around my waist and entered.”

He said that he too felt uneasy and breathless. “I couldn’t breathe and cried for help. Those outside pulled me out in time,” he said. All these labourers are from Haryana. They also work as sweepers in residential societies.