Representative image for manual scavenging.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Ahmedabad: In yet another instance of manual scavenging in Gujarat, two sanitation workers from the Dalit community lost their lives allegedly due to asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank manually in Junagadh district.
The FIR states that the victims were employed by a private person for cleaning his house's septic tank, but they weren't given any safety gear.
The FIR stated that two workers, Dilip Khodabhai Chauhan (48), and Dilip Bhurabhai Vaghela (45), died while cleaning the septic tank of Dilip Chaganbhai Kubavat's house in Ranpur village of Bhesan taluka of Junagadh district.
The workers were reported to have fallen unconscious while cleaning the 15-foot deep tank due to hazardous gas.
The complainant, Jamnaben, wife of Dilip Chauhan, has stated that Kubavat had approached her husband to clean the septic tank, which was overflowing. He allegedly offered Rs 2,500 for the work to Dilip Chauhan.
Jamnaben has stated that her cousin, Dilip Vaghela had also joined her husband. Two other relatives of Chauhans' joined the work.
The incident occurred on April 17 night when Chauhan and Vaghela were overcome by toxic fumes and fell unconscious in the tank.
The Kubavat family members tried to rescue them but they also collapsed due to hazardous gas. They were rushed to the hospital where Chauhan and Vaghela were declared dead.
Initially, the Bhesan police registered the incident as a case of accidental death; later an FIR was filed for violation of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita as well as an act of atrocity.
Earlier in January, two sanitation workers from the Dalit community had passed away while cleaning a manhole in Patdi taluka of Surendrangar district.
An FIR was registered against the chief officer, sanitary inspector as well as chief contractor under various charges, including under sections of the Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
The Gujarat High Court, which is hearing a public interest litigation to stop the practice of manual scavenging, had in March directed the authority to "brainstorm".
"On the larger issue of curbing repeated instances of manual scavenging resulting into death of contract workers, a brain storming has to be done by the Commissioner of Municipality (Administration), who in our considered opinion, is required to hold a meeting with the officers of the local bodies namely the Municipal Commissioners, Chief Officers of the Nagarpalikas and heads of the local governing bodies in the State to find out a permanent solution on the issues coming up to this Court from time to time," a division bench of the high court had passed an order in March.
It asked the government to "communicate this order to the Municipal Commissioner to work out a permanent solution and to file his personal affidavit on the next date."