VIRUDHUNAGAR: Highlighting that Tamil Nadu has recorded the highest number of manual scavenging deaths in the country, with 225 lives lost between 1993 and 2023, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Chairman M Venkatesan urged the state to create awareness and make sure that machineries are being used instead of manual labour for scavenging works.
Venkatesan who held a review meeting with sanitary workers in the presence of the district collector on Wednesday, addressed the press saying there are several districts where machines can’t be used for scavenging septic tanks due to size constraints, and that there is ongoing research at institutions like IITs to create bio-septic tanks at an affordable cost.
He further urged the state government to conduct awareness campaigns among the public and workers about the MS Act, 2013 (Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013). Chairman Venkatesan added that the grievances raised by sanitary workers during the meeting would be addressed soon.