SC Commission demands accountability over Hyderabad manual scavenging deaths

Two men had died due to asphyxiation, after they were forced to manually clean a flood pipeline in Hyderabad on August 3.
Manwhole dugging
Manwhole dugging
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National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Vice Chairman Arun Haldar on Tuesday visited the spot in Hyderabad where two men belonging to the Scheduled Caste community died while cleaning sewer manholes. The two men had died due to asphyxiation, after they were forced to manually clean a flood pipeline in Padmavathi colony of LB Nagar on August 3. While the body of 25-year-old Shiva was found on the day of the incident, Anthaiah’s body was found after six days of a search operation.

Haldar, who enjoys the status of Union Minister of State, interacted with the family members of the deceased at their residences, apart from visiting the location where the incident had taken place. During the visit, he was accompanied and assisted by NCSC Director G Sunil Kumar Babu. Haldar expressed his deep anguish over the employment of the two men late in the night despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Noting that manual scavengers should not be employed for cleaning the septic tank/sewer lines as per the Act, he said that contractors engaged workers for cleaning the sewage, which ultimately led to their death.

Directing the officials to engage the machinery for the purpose, he instructed the higher officials to take stringent action on those people who are responsible for the death of the two workers. The officials informed the Vice Chairman about the monetary relief measures taken by the government for the families of the deceased. They informed that a case has been filed and the contractor and subcontractor were arrested and also three officials were suspended.

They informed that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) provided Rs 10 lakh compensation each to the families of the deceased. Haldar directed the GMHC Commissioner to provide EDLI (Employee Deposit Life Insurance), and 2 BHK houses, employment, and also Rs 5,000 pension with DA to both the families.

(With IANS inputs)

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