BENGALURU: Though the State Government has banned manual scavenging, the practice is still prevalent in Bengaluru outskirts and the districts and safai karmacharis risk their lives by entering sewage pits without any safety gear.
In a recent incident two people died while cleaning a pit in a village in Hubbali. Hoping to earn some extra income, thirty-two-year-old Fayaz (name changed) agreed to clean a human feces pit along with his friend. The family, which had sought their services, had no sanitary connection in their house and toilet waste was let into a pit. When Fayaz got into the pit, he got stuck and could not climb back. His friend, who tried to pull him out, too got stuck in it and both could not come back alive.
“The lives of thousands of safai karmacharis is in danger. There needs to be more awareness among workers to use safety equipment while working and officials should ensure these workers follow the rules,” said Karnataka State Commission for Safai Karmacharis Chairman G. Narayan.
Addressing the media after holding a review meeting with BWSSB chairman Anjum Parvez on Tuesday, Narayan said that the 110 villages which were recently added to BBMP limits did not have sanitary connections and safai karmacharis were forced to get inside such pits to clean them every three months. Demanding the BWSSB to pay these workers as per Labour Act norms, Mr Narayan sought for ID cards, smart cards and other health benefits for safai karmacharis.
Regarding the powers of the Commission, Mr Narayan stressed that they could levy a fine up to Rs 1 lakh and lodge criminal cases against a contractor and BWSSB official, if they failed to follow rules. “So far, we have registered 35 cases and investigation is in progress. If the contractor or the BWSSB official is at fault, they will have to pay a price,” he said. He added that the Commission had urged the board to buy necessary equipment for the safai karmacharis’ safety, including jetting machines, boots, gloves and masks.
Parvez, who spoke on the occasion, emphasized that a project to the tune of Rs 5,500 crore to lay UGD lines in the 110 villages was already proposed. “A proposal has been forwarded to the Government of India and it will be taken up with the funding of JICA. There are some shortfalls in the BWSSB, but there is always scope for improvement,” he said.
