CHENNAI: A total of 43 people have died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in Tamil Nadu during the last five years, second highest after Uttar Pradesh, which reported 52 deaths. This was revealed by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha. Overall in the last five years, 340 manual scavengers deaths were reported in the country, official data shows.
Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Karnataka have accounted for nearly 75 per cent of total deaths. To a question about steps being taken by the Union government to address the issue, the minister said, “National Safai Karmacharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is implementing a scheme called ‘Swachhata Udyami Yojana’ under which loans are provided to manual scavengers, safai karmacharis engaged in hazardous cleaning and their dependents to procure mechanised equipment up to the cost of Rs 5 lakh with a subsidy of 50 per cent.”
The minister said NSKFDC was also providing upskilling training to safai karmacharis to improve their skilling potential for handling mechanised equipment. Under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013” the employer who engages the workers for cleaning sewers/septic tanks is obliged to provide the safety gear, devices and ensure safety precautions as prescribed in the Rules.
Besides, the minister told Lok Sabha that a national policy for mechanised sanitation eco-system has been formulated in consultation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, which envisages to appoint a responsible sanitation authority in every district, set-up sanitation response unit in each Municipality and professionally train manpower.