Sewer deaths: Ready plan for shift to mechanised cleaning, LG orders DJB : The Tribune India

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Sewer deaths: Ready plan for shift to mechanised cleaning, LG orders DJB

NEW DELHI: Taking cognisance of recent sewer deaths, Lt. Governor Anil Baijal on Monday directed Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer Keshav Chandra to finalise a plan within 15 days for migration to 100 per cent mechanisation for cleaning of sewer/drains in coordination with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).



Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 21

Taking cognisance of recent sewer deaths, Lt. Governor Anil Baijal on Monday directed Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer Keshav Chandra to finalise a plan within 15 days for migration to 100 per cent mechanisation for cleaning of sewer/drains in coordination with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).

Baijal ordered the Standard Operating Procedure for cases requiring emergency manual intervention as per law to be laid down within seven days and all such SOPs will be applicable to all, including private contractors, group housing society and malls, etc.

The directions came after Baijal called a high level meeting, attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Public Works Department Minister Satyendar Jain, Water Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam along with senior officers of Delhi Government, NDMC and the three municipal corporations, Member (Delhi Jal Board), CEO (Delhi Cantonment Board) and Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order, South).

Noting that these deaths are a grim portrayal of the unsafe working conditions of people engaged to keep sewer lines and tanks clean, often with their bare hands, the Lt. Governor termed the present situation as “unacceptable”.

Before the meeting, Gautam posted a series of tweets on the matter saying a case under 304 IPC will be registered against the contractors as well as the government officials responsible for the same. “Shocked and painful to see the 4 incidents of death during sewage cleaning. Contractors have no fear of law,” the minister tweeted.

The Secretary (SC/ST) was directed to upload all the notifications clarifying the legal position on the website so that it can be in public domain for the benefit of the contractors as well as the users.

The Lt. Governor also directed the CEO (DJB) and other departments, including the municipal bodies, to undertake extensive information, education and communication (IEC) campaign for widespread publicity of the harmful impact on the health of such workers as well as the illegality committed by the contractors/user agencies.

He stressed that the liability of the principal employer does not get diluted and asked the government agencies to strictly abide by the law.

“The employers must provide gas masks, safety harness belts, helmets and mechanised equipment, etc as legally mandated for the hazardous work of cleaning of clogged underground sewers and must ensure strict compliance of the relevant guidelines and proper arrangements of the safety and security of the workers,” said an official.

The Lt. Governor also directed the Delhi Police to take stringent action against those contractors who violate the law. He was informed that the police have already booked the contractor for culpable homicide in yesterday’s tragic incident. The review of the implementation of the directives would be made again after two weeks, added the official.

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