CHIDAMBARAM: Despite the ban on manual scavenging, a sanitary worker cleaning the underground sewer pipelines died after drowning in the waste water in a manhole on Sunday.
As part of preparations for the Kumbabhishekam celebrations of the Nataraja temple, the district administration had undertaken drainage cleaning along with other works such as re-laying roads, setting up of street lights, clearing encroachments in the vicinity.
Sathyamurthy (35) of Ambedkar Nagarpet in Chidambaram was working as a sanitary worker in the municipality since 2006.
He along with a few other workers was cleaning the drainage through the manhole located at the Chockalingam Pillai Street.
Sources said Sathyamurthy drowned in the drainage water and choked to death. Following this, fellow workers recovered the body and took it out of the manhole.
On information, police rushed to the spot and conducted inquiries. Meanwhile, members of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi(VCK) and the victim’s family staged a protest and blocked the Chidambaram-Cuddalore road.
They alleged that sanitary workers were made to work on holidays and sought adequate compensation to his family members. Police pacified them and later the body was handed over to the family members.