Citizens can now hire only BWSSB sanitation workers

  • | Wednesday | 29th January, 2020

The BWSSB (Regulation of Agencies for Cleaning of Manholes and STPs) 2019 will be sent in a couple of days to the State government for approval. In January last year, three workers lost their lives in Somasundara Palya in Southeast Bengaluru due to inhalation of poisonous gas when cleaning an STP in an apartment complex. BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief Kemparamaiah said, “Our regulation aims to ensure that only trained workers with safety gear are involved in such work. 1,720 manual scavengers in six districtsThe National Safai Karmachari Aayog in its report last year said that their survey in six districts of Karnataka -- Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kolar, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru and Kalaburagi -- revealed the presence of 1,720 manual scavengers. The Karnataka State Safai Karamchari Commission last year said that 68 people have lost their lives in the state since 2008 while clearing manholes.

S Lalitha By Express News Service BENGALURU: In a big step towards ensuring the safety of labourers who are hired randomly to clean manholes or Sewage Treatment Plants, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board at its meeting on Monday gave its consent for a regulation that makes it mandatory to hire only workers certified and empanelled by it. The BWSSB (Regulation of Agencies for Cleaning of Manholes and STPs) 2019 will be sent in a couple of days to the State government for approval. The death of a 22-year-old labourer on Jan 25 in Shivaji Nagar due to inhalation of poisonous fumes while working in an old well is a recent instance. In January last year, three workers lost their lives in Somasundara Palya in Southeast Bengaluru due to inhalation of poisonous gas when cleaning an STP in an apartment complex. A top official told TNIE that there have been instances of gardeners or security staffers who have no knowledge or experience in clearing manholes or STPs being sent down a deep pit by apartment owners or even private commercial establishments to clear the muck for them. “The individual’s life is literally put at risk as he has no idea about the tricky and dangerous task he is called to perform and does it for a few hundred rupees with no awareness of the safety gear to be put in place,” the official explained. BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief Kemparamaiah said, “Our regulation aims to ensure that only trained workers with safety gear are involved in such work. Anyone who violates this rule will face imprisonment or heavy penalty as the Supreme Court order itself had banned this form of scavenging in its order in 2014.” The SC order on March 27, 2014, had stated that “Sewer deaths -- entering sewer lines without safety gear should be made a crime even in emergency situations. For each such death, compensation of Rs. 10 lakh should be given to the family of the deceased.” BWSSB Chairman Tushar Girinath said the imprisonment term would adhere to the specified provisions under the Acts pertaining to manual scavenging. Express checked with a few apartments about their response to this move. They said they welcome it provided BWSSB makes such availability public. D Sanjeev, ex-president of MV Royal Housing Apartments, Srirampura, said that despite the heavy cost involved, their apartment always hired professional STP cleaners to carry out such jobs. “If BWSSB implements such a rule, contact details of such individuals must be made easily available to all.” KB Gururaj, who resides in an apartment in Majestic area, said they already had strict rules in place for STP clearing works. “Even in case of emergency, we do not allow anyone to enter our tanks beyond 6 pm. We have annual maintenance contracts with our STP supplier who take care of such work,” he added. 1,720 manual scavengers in six districts The National Safai Karmachari Aayog in its report last year said that their survey in six districts of Karnataka -- Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kolar, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru and Kalaburagi -- revealed the presence of 1,720 manual scavengers. This formed part of a national count of 21,480 scavengers taking into account from specific districts. The Karnataka State Safai Karamchari Commission last year said that 68 people have lost their lives in the state since 2008 while clearing manholes.

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