MC callous to safety of Buddha Nullah cleaners

Having already failed to provide safety kits to its sewer men, now the municipal corporation (MC) has totally disregarded the safety of workers who have been deputed to clean the highly polluted Buddha Nullah without any safety gear.

Having already failed to provide safety kits to its sewer men, now the municipal corporation (MC) has totally disregarded the safety of workers who have been deputed to clean the highly polluted Buddha Nullah without any safety gear.

HT Image

This is in violation of the Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act that prohibits “hazardous cleaning” of a sewer without the employer fulfilling his obligations to provide protective gear and other cleaning devices and ensuring observance of safety precautions.

But, these workers, who usually earn between 5,000 and 7,000, are cleaning the highly polluted Buddha Nullah without wearing any protective gear, due to which they come in contact with hazardous substances.

The work for cleaning of Buddha Nullah, in which untreated sewage and industrial waste of city is released and also dead bodies are commonly found, was recently started by the MC.Though MC is using machines to clean the nullah, workers are manually cleaning the areas. As a result, workers are coming in contact with broken glass, leading to wounds on feet and legs. MC commissioner Shruti Singh said, “We will take the required safety steps and follow the guidelines. We will ensure safety of the workers so that they don’t suffer.”