12 died desilting septic tanks last year: Govt

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 1

Twelve died in the capital last year while cleaning septic tanks while no such death has been reported so far in the current year, the Delhi Government has said.

Delhi Urban Development minister Satyendra Jain informed the Legislative Assembly in a written reply that 12 have died while cleaning septic tanks in 2017-18 while adding that none of the deceased in the five incidents were employees of municipal corporations or other civic bodies of the government.

District level vigilance committees have been formed to conduct a survey of manual scavengers under Section 29(3) of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

The Urban Development department has issued notifications to form state-level monitoring committee and vigilance committees in the 11 districts of the capital.

Delhi Jal Board is chalking out a standard operating procedure in this regard and has drafted Septage Management Regulation, 2018 to ensure mechanised desilting of septic tanks. After the proposal gets an approval from the cabinet, it will be placed before the House for consideration.

In the city, the Public Works Department, the New Delhi Municipal Council, and the three MCDs take care of desilting septic tanks and machines are used for the purpose.