TW: Death
“Three sanitation workers who went to clean a public toilet in Ekta Nagar, Kandivali West, Mumbai, died due to suffocation after falling into a septic tank.” (Source: The Print)1
In the last 5 days, over 14 sanitation workers have died2 while working across India. This is just the reported number, there are innumerable deaths that are not documented by the State2.
Who are sanitation workers?
Sanitation workers are involved in tasks across the sanitation value chain including cleaning toilets and spaces; cleaning and emptying sewers, septic tanks, and drains; operating sewage treatment plants, etc.
The sanitation workers risk coming into direct contact with human waste and are exposed to toxic gases in septic tanks and sewers which lead to loss of consciousness and even death. They have little in the way of safety equipment, labour rights, and social protection. To add to this, sanitation workers usually come from specific castes and marginalised communities and often face societal stigma and systemic exclusion from basic health and education services, and social security measures.
Why is this important?
There is an alarming rise in the number of sanitation workers who have lost their lives because of their occupation. Hazardous working conditions, lack of safety gear, and failure of the government to implement the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 are some of the factors responsible to name a few. Further, they are among the informal workforce and lack access to decent and regular wages and employment opportunities.
What are the demands?
The Maharashtra government should:
Adopt technological interventions to completely mechanize the process of cleaning sewers and end manual scavenging. Other states such as Delhi have already adopted sewer cleaning machinery to end manual scavenging2.
Monitor the use of safety kits by the workers and provide proper training to the workers about the machines and the use of safety kits.
Provide ₹50 lakh to the dependent of each sanitation worker who died because of Covid-19
We are asking the Government of Maharashtra to recognise these demands made by sanitation workers themselves and take action. We also demand that the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale fast-track the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and provide a clear timeline for its implementation. People should not have to lose their lives just to be able to feed themselves and their families. Sign the petition now!
Sources:
3 sanitation workers die while cleaning septic tank in Mumbai: The Print
Why are so many sanitation worker deaths uncounted?: The Indian Express
Are Sewer cleaning machines really ending manual scavenging in India?: Ground Report
TW: Death
“Three sanitation workers who went to clean a public toilet in Ekta Nagar, Kandivali West, Mumbai, died due to suffocation after falling into a septic tank.” (Source: The Print)1
In the last 5 days, over 14 sanitation workers have died2 while working across India. This is just the reported number, there are innumerable deaths that are not documented by the State2.
Who are sanitation workers?
Sanitation workers are involved in tasks across the sanitation value chain including cleaning toilets and spaces; cleaning and emptying sewers, septic tanks, and drains; operating sewage treatment plants, etc.
The sanitation workers risk coming into direct contact with human waste and are exposed to toxic gases in septic tanks and sewers which lead to loss of consciousness and even death. They have little in the way of safety equipment, labour rights, and social protection. To add to this, sanitation workers usually come from specific castes and marginalised communities and often face societal stigma and systemic exclusion from basic health and education services, and social security measures.
Why is this important?
There is an alarming rise in the number of sanitation workers who have lost their lives because of their occupation. Hazardous working conditions, lack of safety gear, and failure of the government to implement the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 are some of the factors responsible to name a few. Further, they are among the informal workforce and lack access to decent and regular wages and employment opportunities.
What are the demands?
The Maharashtra government should:
Adopt technological interventions to completely mechanize the process of cleaning sewers and end manual scavenging. Other states such as Delhi have already adopted sewer cleaning machinery to end manual scavenging2.
Monitor the use of safety kits by the workers and provide proper training to the workers about the machines and the use of safety kits.
Provide ₹50 lakh to the dependent of each sanitation worker who died because of Covid-19
We are asking the Government of Maharashtra to recognise these demands made by sanitation workers themselves and take action. We also demand that the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale fast-track the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and provide a clear timeline for its implementation. People should not have to lose their lives just to be able to feed themselves and their families. Sign the petition now!
Sources:
3 sanitation workers die while cleaning septic tank in Mumbai: The Print
Why are so many sanitation worker deaths uncounted?: The Indian Express
Are Sewer cleaning machines really ending manual scavenging in India?: Ground Report