SAFETY OF SANITARY WORKERS

State-wise and year-wise details of persons who are reported to have died due to hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and non observance of safety precautions prescribed under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013” during the last five years are at Annexure-I.

A National Policy for mechanized Sanitation Eco-system has been formulated in consultation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Department of Drinking water and Sanitation which envisages, inter alia, the following:

1. Appointment of Responsible Sanitation Authority in every District.
2. Setting up of Sanitation Response Unit (SRU) in each municipality.
3. Equipping SRUs with necessary devices, machines and vehicles required for mechanized cleaning.
4. Professionally trained manpower for mechanized cleaning.
5. 24×7 helpline to receive complaints regarding blockage of sewers and septic tanks.
6. Setting up facilities for evacuation, transportation and treatment of sludge from septic tanks.
7. Training to the staff of municipalities and contractors in the mechanized cleaning of sewers/septic tanks.

 The following measures have been taken to promote 100% mechanization, specially cleaning of sewers, septic tanks, desilting of drains, garbage lifting, sludge handling, solid and medical waste disposal etc. and for the benefit of sanitation workers (including waste pickers) and their dependants to provide sustainable livelihood:-

1. Under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) concessional loans are provided to sanitation workers and their dependants and the urban local bodies for procurement of sanitation related equipments, machines and vehicles costing upto Rs. 50.00 lakh. The Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) has been revised from 2020-21 to provide capital subsidy upto Rs. 5.00 lakh to sanitation workers and their dependants for sanitation related projects. State-wise details of number of sanitation workers assisted under these schemes are given at Annexure-II.
2. Under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, free short duration upskilling training is provided to the sanitation workers. The candidates are trained about mechanized cleaning and safety precautions for safe and healthy cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
3. Workshops are organised with officers, engineers, sanitary inspectors, supervisors, contractors and sanitation workers etc. of urban local bodies and authorities responsible for cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. During the workshops the participants are made aware about the provisions under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013”, the rules framed thereunder and other provisions for safe and healthy cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
4. NSKFDC also organises health camps in the basties of identified manual scavengers and sanitation workers. During these camps, free health check-up i.e. Sugar, BP, etc is facilitated to the target group of the NSKFDC. Further, need based free medicines & spectacles are provided to the target group during the camps. The doctors of different disciplines i.e. Eyes, General physician and Gynecologist etc. check the patients.

This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri. Ramdas Athawale in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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MG/RNM/SB