'330 died in 5 yrs due to 'accidents' while cleaning sewer & septic tanks'

New Delhi: Even though manual scavenging is prohibited in the country from 2013 onwards, it is being practiced in several states leading to the loss of lives of workers "engaged" by concerned agencies in cleaning sewer and septic tanks.

In a written reply to a question asked by BSP MP Girish Chandra, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale told Lok Sabha that there is no report of deaths due to manual scavenging.

However, 330 people have died due to "accidents" while undertaking 'hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks' during the last five years, Athawale said in his written reply.

As per the information provided by the minister, highest 47 people have died in Uttar Pradesh while undertaking 'hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks' and 43 such deaths have been reported in Tamil Nadu in the last five years. The national capital has reported 42 casualties in the last five years.

Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh and Non-BJP ruled Kerala have each reported just one death due to "accidents" while undertaking 'hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks' in the last five years, while Odisha and Bihar each have registered two such deaths from 2017 to 2021 and Chandigarh has recorded three deaths during the period.

Haryana has reported 36 deaths, followed by Maharashtra that reported 30 deaths, Gujarat (28 deaths), Karnataka (26 deaths), West Bengal (19), Punjab (14), Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have each recorded 13 such deaths in the last five years.

Given that manual scavenging is prohibited with effect from December 6, 2013, no person or agency can engage or employ any person for manual scavenging from the mentioned date, the minister said, adding that under the Swachh Bharat Mission, more than 10.99 crore sanitary toilets have been constructed in rural areas and over 62.65 lakh in urban areas and insanitary toilets have been converted into sanitary toilets.