Mumbai: Three Deaths in One Week Highlight Deadly Hazards of Manual Scavenging

Mumbai: In less than a week, three people have died while cleaning toilet tanks and sewers. While the contractor is facing criminal proceedings in this regard, questions are being raised by human rights groups on the inaction of civic bodies. In Malwani too, three workers died due to lack of security after they fell into a toilet water tank. 

BMC, which is Asia's richest municipal corporation, has access to modern machinery but is still resorting to manual scavenging. People are dropped into manholes to clean sewers. Contract workers have died due to toxic air. Some have to live the rest of their lives with life-threatening respiratory disorders. 

Previous events

June 25, 2023: Two persons died while cleaning a manhole of a sewerage channel next to Shivajinagar bus depot in Govandi.

June 26, 2023: A worker died after falling into the same sewer after being hit by a car while cleaning an underground sewer in the Kandivali area.

Scavenging banned 

The government banned manual scavenging under laws in 1993 and 2013 to prevent manual scavenging after the work drew national and international criticism. 

Five workers fell into sewers, one died

Five laborers fell into an open drain at Sewri Gadi Adda in the wee hours of Sunday when work on a rainwater pipeline was underway. One worker was killed. Four workers have been hospitalized. One of them is in critical condition. 

All the workers are in the age group of 20 to 25 years. All five workers were rescued by residents of the area and admitted to KEM Hospital. At that time, doctors declared Mehboob (19) dead. Four workers are undergoing treatment and Salim is in critical condition. The three workers were identified as Shafakul (22), Korem (35) and Mozline (30).

Malad incident:

1) Two workers died after falling into the sewer of a public toilet in Malad Malwani. 

2) The toilet where the incident took place in Malwani has been given to run under a private organization, Om Jai Durga Seva Society. 

3) Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of the institution and a notice has been issued to explain it.

What happened to the machine?

The Civic body plans high-capacity cleaning machines for cleaning sewerage lines, sludge, and sewage extraction machines. So what happened to that machine? Are they being used for beautification? Fayaz Alam Shaikh of Govandi Citizens has asked.