As our nation marches forward, constructing smart cities and embracing technological advancements, there lies a stark, unsettling contrast between our aspirations and the grim reality on the ground. Sanitation workers, who are the backbone of our urban sanitation infrastructure, are facing a relentless wave of preventable deaths while cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
Despite the progress in urban development, we appear to be losing our humanity, turning a blind eye to the suffering and fatalities of those who toil in hazardous conditions beneath our cities. The indifference towards the safai karamcharis (cleaners) who put their bodies on the line (manual scavenging) to clean the drains, end up paying with their own lives to keep the whole system functioning for the rest of us.
Manual Scavenging in India
Recent statistics paint a disheartening picture. From 2019 to 2023, 377 people lost their lives while cleaning sewers and septic tanks, according to the Rajya Sabha. The Safai Karamchari Andolan Sangathan further reports 43 deaths in just the past six months, highlighting an ongoing and worsening crisis. These fatalities are not merely numbers; they represent lives cut short, families devastated, and a society failing its most vulnerable workers.
The deaths of these sanitation workers are not inevitable—they are preventable. Yet, despite Supreme Court mandates and legislative provisions aimed at protecting these workers, the implementation remains grossly inadequate. The ongoing disregard by municipal corporations and local bodies to enforce safety standards underscores a systemic failure that has persisted for decades.
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, explicitly prohibits employing individuals in hazardous manual sewer cleaning without proper safety measures. This law mandates that no worker should be sent down sewer lines without adequate protection, including the use of masks, gloves, and other safety equipment. Furthermore, it stipulates that each worker must be insured for at least Rs 10 lakh, and safety protocols, such as opening sewer lids hours before work begins to release toxic gases, must be followed.
However, these provisions often exist only on paper. In reality, the contractors, who frequently operate with impunity, continue to exploit vulnerable workers, many of whom belong to marginalized communities. The Supreme Court's directive for strict enforcement, supervision, and punishment for violations remains largely ignored. This blatant disregard for the law not only violates human rights but also perpetuates a cycle of exploitation and neglect.
The Human Cost: Lives Lost to Negligence
The failure to adhere to safety guidelines has led to a disturbing increase in deaths during sewer cleaning. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, the death toll has been particularly alarming, with 700 sanitation workers succumbing to poisonous gases over the past 15 years. This appalling statistic reflects a broader national crisis where the value of human life is diminished, and preventable tragedies are normalized as mere "accidents."
These workers, often from the Dalit community, are denied even the most basic protections. Oxygen cylinders, life-saving equipment, and even simple items like gloves are rarely provided, leaving them exposed to lethal risks. This neglect is not just a failure of governance; it is a failure of society to uphold the dignity and safety of those who perform one of the most hazardous jobs.
Technological Solutions: A Ray of Hope or Another Delay?
While there have been discussions about deploying robots and other modern equipment to handle the dangerous task of sewer cleaning, the pace of implementation has been excruciatingly slow. The central government has proposed using robots equipped with cameras to clean manholes and blockages up to eight meters below the ground. While this is a step in the right direction, the timeline for widespread adoption remains uncertain.
Until these technological solutions are fully operational, the reliance on manual scavenging persists, with devastating consequences. The continued delay in deploying safe, modern alternatives only prolongs the suffering and loss of life among sanitation workers. Each day that passes without effective intervention represents another potential tragedy.
One of the most glaring issues in this crisis is the lack of accountability. Despite clear laws and guidelines, local administrations and contractors often collude to obscure the reality of these deaths. Reports are frequently unregistered, and fatalities are dismissed as routine mishaps. This pervasive culture of denial and avoidance of responsibility has allowed the problem to fester, leading to a continuous cycle of preventable deaths.
For genuine change to occur, there must be strict enforcement of existing laws, along with a robust framework to hold violators accountable. This includes not only penalizing contractors who flout safety norms but also ensuring that local bodies rigorously monitor and enforce compliance. Without accountability, the lives of sanitation workers will remain precarious, and their deaths will continue to be seen as collateral damage in the pursuit of urban cleanliness.
Restoring the Value of Human Life
The ongoing deaths of sanitation workers during sewer cleaning are a stark reminder that our progress as a society is hollow if it comes at the cost of human life. The indifference towards these workers' safety and dignity is not just a policy failure—it is a moral failing that reflects poorly on our collective humanity.
We must urgently shift from apathy to action, ensuring that every sanitation worker is protected and valued. This requires a concerted effort from government bodies, contractors, and society at large to enforce laws, provide proper equipment, and invest in safer technologies. Only then can we truly claim to be progressing, not just in building smart cities, but in building a just and humane society.
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