Two brothers die while cleaning sewer

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 12

Two brothers died and their father was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition after they inhaled toxic gases while cleaning a sewer at a shopping mall in Anand Vihar today, said a police official.

Yusuf (50) and his two sons Jahangir (24) and Izaz (22) collapsed while cleaning the sewer.

When they did not come out of it for a long time, the police and fire department were informed.

A fireman of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), Mahipal, who had entered the sewer during the rescue operation, also inhaled the toxic fumes and collapsed. He was admitted to the hospital, according to a DFS official.

All the four were rushed to the Hedgewar Hospital, where Jahangir was declared brought dead and Izaz died subsequently. Yusuf and Mahipal were undergoing treatment at the hospital and their condition was said to be critical, said DCP (Shahdara) Nupur Prasad.

Last week, three men who were manually cleaning a sewer line at Lajpat Nagar had died after inhaling noxious fumes. In another incident in Ghitorni Village, South Delhi, four men died while cleaning a septic tank. They were hired by local contractors in unauthorised colony where the MCD and the Delhi Jal Board do not clean the septic tanks, said the official.

Minister directs officials to set up vigilance panel

The Delhi Government today announced setting up of a vigilance committee to monitor “blatant violations” of provisions of the prohibition of the Manual Scavenging Act despite the Supreme Court ruling.

This came on a day when two persons (brothers) died and their father admitted to a hospital in a critical condition after they inhaled toxic gases while cleaning a septic tank at a shopping mall in Anand Vihar today.

“I am making a vigilance committee to monitor such illegal activities and stop such acts (illegal manual scavenging).... Though we have no control on private buildings but we will take stern action against the violators,” said Water Minister Rajendra Gautam in a series of tweets.

Gautam held an important meeting with Delhi Jal Board officials, including its CEO Keshav Chandra and other members, at his residence and instructed the officials to set up a monitoring committee and a vigilance committee soon.

He expressed shock and concern over the audacity of private contractors who he said have no fear of law. “Since the death of three workers in Lajpat Nagar recently, the Water Minister is finding out ways how to control this completely to ensure no such incidents recur in future,” said an official.

The minister emphasised that guidelines from the courts should not be ignored and instructed the DJB lawyers to follow all rules and regulations so that there should be transparency while presenting the cases, before the courts. He also asked officials to meet frequently so that things would be updated in regular basis.