Sewer tragedy: Workers were not wearing protective gear, say cops

Following the death of a 43-year-old man in southeast Delhi’s New Friends Colony while cleaning a sewer, the police said the victims were not wearing any protective gear or carrying the necessary equipment at the time of the incident.

Chhattisgarh resident Panth Lal Chandra (43) died after losing consciousness inside the manhole.

His younger brother, Ramkishan Chandra (35), suffered severe injuries and is in a critical condition in the ICU. A third worker, Shiv Das (25), was rescued, said officials.

Initial investigation revealed that the workers were engaged in sewer cleaning, allegedly for the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). However, in a statement, the DJB denied any association with the workers.

In its official response, the DJB stated, “The three men were neither regular staff nor contractual employees of the Board. No work was sanctioned or ongoing to clean the sewer at the site.”

The board also mentioned that they had sent a letter to the SHO of the New Friends Colony police station, requesting necessary action and a copy of the FIR if registered.

However, an official said, “We have received a letter from the DJB regarding the incident. But a letter is not proof enough that they were not employees of the DJB or were not engaged in its work. The matter is under investigation, and we are looking at it from every angle,” the official said.

According to the police, they received a PCR call around 5.45 pm on Sunday reporting that some workers, allegedly engaged by the DJB, had fallen into a manhole. However, the caller was unsure about the exact number of victims.

“When the police reached the spot, three individuals were found trapped in the sewer. Firefighters managed to pull them out in an unconscious state. They were rushed to the AIIMS trauma centre, where doctors declared Panth Lal Chandra dead,” a senior police official said.

Panth Lal Chandra is survived by his wife Kamla Bai Chandra (40), a son, and four daughters, two of whom are married. His younger brother, Ramkishan, remains hospitalised in a critical condition.

Meanwhile, earlier last month, the Central Government had told the Rajya Sabha that there were 294 related deaths in the country from 2020 to 2024.

However, the annual report of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, in its last report in 2021-22, reported that the Capital saw 97 sewer deaths since 1993, out of which compensation for 71 had been paid.

Cong slams BJP, AAP; demands compensation

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav expressed shock over the death of a worker while cleaning a manhole in Friends Colony, calling it a tragic failure of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the government’s policies. Two other workers were hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes.

Criticising the BJP-led Centre and the former AAP government, Yadav said they both failed to implement the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which mandates mechanised cleaning of sewers. He demanded substantial compensation for the family of the deceased and the two injured labourers.

“It is shocking that in the national capital, poor people are still forced to enter toxic manholes without protective gear, risking their lives,” Yadav said. He also slammed the DJB for claiming the workers were not on its payroll, despite police confirming they were conducting maintenance work.