Latest news with #SafaiKaramchariAndolan
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Bare hands, broken lives: The untold story of Odisha's drain cleaners
Narrow definition It's a narrow definition of law that keeps these sanitary workers out of the ambit of social security while denying them safety and dignity at work. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (or MS Act, 2013) defines manual scavengers as people who manually clean or handle untreated human excreta from insanitary latrines or railway tracks. Under Section 2(g) of the Act, hazardous cleaning of sewer lines, septic tanks, manholes and interceptor chambers is strictly prohibited and a punishable offence. As per reports of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Odisha had only 230 manual scavengers (till July 2024) and there are no dry/insanitary latrines (which need manual cleaning) in the state. These 230 persons have been completely rehabilitated, as per government records. Workers like Purnima and Dhananjay scavenge all forms of waste including human waste from open drains but do not come under the ambit of manual scavenging given the definition. Because, they do not work in dry/insanitary latrines which as per official records do not exist. And going by the same definition, the Odisha government asserts that the state is free from the practice of manual scavenging which is majorly mechanised now. The Safai Karamchari Andolan in Odisha has long been demanding identification of workers engaged for drain desiltation as manual scavengers but in vain. National convenor of the Andolan and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Bezwada Wilson said it is a fact that many houses in urban areas of Odisha do not have septic tanks even today. 'Both kitchen and bathroom water and everything else comes to these drains including untreated human excreta. So, cleaning these drains should be considered manual scavenging,' added Wilson. All the civic bodies play it smartly as they outsource the drain desiltation work to private agencies who, in turn, employ sanitary workers on a daily wage basis. Considered unskilled, these workers get roughly around Rs 430 per day as daily wage. And work without any form of protection. Only a few are under the payroll of the agencies which provide them a salary of around Rs 12,000 with EPF benefits.
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
4K sanitation workers in Delhi to get PPE kits with 42 safety items
NEW DELHI: As the monsoon approaches, the Delhi government has announced the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to nearly 4,000 manual scavengers across the city, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at improving safety conditions for sanitation workers. The move comes under the Centre's 'Namaste' (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme, launched in 2023-24 to promote secure, mechanised and dignified sanitation practices. Each PPE kit will contain 42 safety items, including gas masks, helmets with lights, gloves, gumboots, protective suits, and barrier creams designed to guard against hazardous gases and skin infections. The kits are expected to be distributed before the onset of heavy rains, when manual sewer and septic tank cleaning becomes most dangerous. Delhi's Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said that directives had been issued to ensure all sanitation workers are also enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. Departments have been instructed to speed up training and rehabilitation programmes and establish Emergency Response Sanitation Units. District magistrates have been told to settle all pending compensation cases related to sewer deaths in a time-bound manner. 'The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon,' Singh said. However, the announcement has sparked criticism from activists who argue that the state should move beyond temporary safety measures. Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, welcomed the distribution of safety gear but said it doesn't address the root of the problem. 'This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers,' Wilson said, calling for the complete mechanisation of sewer cleaning in compliance with the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Wilson also highlighted grim statistics: 102 manual scavengers died in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 have died in 2025 so far, including four deaths in Delhi alone. 'The focus must shift from protective gear to ending the practice altogether,' Wilson stressed.
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Nearly 4,000 Manual Scavengers In Delhi To Receive PPE Kits Ahead Of Monsoon
New Delhi: For the first time, nearly 4,000 manual scavengers in Delhi will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits ahead of the monsoon season. The kits will include 42 safety items such as helmets with lights, gas protection masks, gumboots, protective clothing, gloves, and barrier creams designed to protect against hazardous gases and skin irritants. The initiative is part of the Centre's 'Namaste' (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme launched in 2023-24 to ensure secure working conditions, financial assistance, and social security benefits for sanitation workers, especially those engaged in cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Delhi Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh told PTI that around 4,000 scavengers will get PPE kits before the rains begin. He also directed officials to ensure that all manual scavengers are enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. In addition, departments have been instructed to expedite training and rehabilitation efforts for those involved in manual sewer cleaning and to establish adequate Emergency Response Sanitation Units, Indraj Singh said. All district magistrates have been ordered to resolve pending compensation cases related to sewer and septic tank deaths in a time-bound manner, he added. "The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon," the minister said. Social activist Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, said while PPE kits can help reduce health risks, they do not fully eliminate the dangers faced by manual scavengers. "This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers," said Wilson. Wilson also pointed out that the initiative raises concerns under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which officially banned manual scavenging in India. "Instead of sending humans into toxic manholes, the government should focus on introducing machines to clean them," he added. Wilson also shared data on the deaths of manual scavengers, stating that around 102 died in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 have died in 2025 so far. In Delhi alone, four workers have died this year, he said.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
In a first, Delhi's manual scavengers to receive PPE kits ahead of monsoon season
New Delhi, For the first time, nearly 4,000 manual scavengers in Delhi will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment kits ahead of the monsoon season. The kits will include 42 safety items such as helmets with lights, gas protection masks, gumboots, protective clothing, gloves, and barrier creams designed to protect against hazardous gases and skin irritants. The initiative is part of the Centre's 'Namaste' scheme launched in 2023-24 to ensure secure working conditions, financial assistance, and social security benefits for sanitation workers, especially those engaged in cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Delhi Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh told PTI that around 4,000 scavengers will get PPE kits before the rains begin. He also directed officials to ensure that all manual scavengers are enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. In addition, departments have been instructed to expedite training and rehabilitation efforts for those involved in manual sewer cleaning and to establish adequate Emergency Response Sanitation Units, Singh said. All district magistrates have been ordered to resolve pending compensation cases related to sewer and septic tank deaths in a time-bound manner, he added. "The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon," the minister said. Social activist Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, said while PPE kits can help reduce health risks, they do not fully eliminate the dangers faced by manual scavengers. "This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers," said Wilson. Wilson also pointed out that the initiative raises concerns under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which officially banned manual scavenging in India. "Instead of sending humans into toxic manholes, the government should focus on introducing machines to clean them," he added. Wilson also shared data on the deaths of manual scavengers, stating that around 102 died in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 have died in 2025 so far. In Delhi alone, four workers have died this year, he said.
