Rajasthan: Two sanitation workers, including minor, die of suffocation

Jaipur, April 19 (IANS) Two sanitation workers, including a minor, died of suffocation in a tragic incident on Saturday in Khedli town of Alwar district in Rajasthan, due to suffocation while cleaning a sewer line at a paper mill located in Navkar Vatika.

An official identified the deceased as Lacchi (50), son of Mangtu, and Hemraj (13) alias Akash, son of Sagar Valmiki.

He said that both entered the sewer line for cleaning, adding that when Lacchi failed to return for a long time, Hemraj went down to check on him and also fell unconscious.

“Both were later pulled out and rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared them dead,” he said.

He said that upon receiving information about the incident, Khedli Police Station Officer Dhirendra Gurjar reached the site, adding that the family members of the deceased, along with members of the Valmiki community, also gathered at the hospital.

Nagar Palika Vice Chairman Sandesh Khandelwal, Councillor Murarilal Sharma, and Business Committee President Pramod Bansal also met the bereaved families at the hospital.

Meanwhile, family members and local residents staged a protest and blocked the Hindon Gate in Khedli after their demands of providing financial compensation and a government job for one member of the family were not met.

Manual sewer cleaning is prohibited by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. This law mandates that no person be allowed to clean sewer lines manually, and outlines obligations for employers of those engaged in sewer cleaning.

The Act and its subsequent rules strictly prohibit manual entry into sewer lines and manholes for cleaning purposes.

The law mandates the use of safety equipment, regular gas testing, and monitoring of workers during sewer cleaning operations.

Offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable, with stringent penalties for violating the provisions.

IANS

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