Delhi: ‘Complete survey of manual scavengers before monsoon’

Delhi’s SC/ST Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh on Friday directed all departments concerned to expedite the identification and rehabilitation of manual scavengers in the city and ensure the distribution of safety gear to sanitation workers ahead of the monsoon season.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act and the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, Singh said the current government was committed to ensuring dignity and safety of the city’s most marginalised workers.

Officials from the Urban Development Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Cantonment Board, Delhi Jal Board, SC/ST Welfare Department and District Magistrates participated in the meeting. Singh said, “The survey to identify manual scavengers, especially those working in unauthorised colonies, must be completed before the monsoon season. All sewer and septic tank workers should be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and safety devices to prevent any fatalities or injuries during the rainy season.”