Lok Sabha Question No. 55 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-02
Subject: Death of Manual Scavengers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 55 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2021

## DEATH OF MANUAL SCA VENGERS

## 55. SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and the total number of people who have died due to sewer cleaning/entering into sewers across the country during the last five years, State-wise including Maharashtra;
- b whether the Government has formulated any new plan to prevent manual cleaning of sewers and if so, the details thereof; and
- c) the fresh steps taken by the Government to provide modern equipment; training and uniform to the people engaged in sewer cleaning?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHA WALE)

(A): State- wise details of persons who are reported to have died while cleaning sewers during the last five years upto 31.12.2020 are at Annexure:

- (b): 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:
- Appointment of Responsible Sanitation Authority in every District:
- iii. Equipping SRUs with necessary devices, machines and vehicles required for mechanized cleaning:
- ii. Setting up of Sanitation (SRU) Response unit in each municipality.
- iv. Professionally trained manpower for mechanized cleaning:
- vi. Setting up facilities for evacuation, transportation and treatment of sludge from tanks: septic
- V 24x7 helpline to receive complaints regarding blockage of sewers and tanks. septic
- vii. Training to the staff of municipalities and contractors in the mechanized cleaning of sewers/s tanks. 'septic
- (c)= a Scheme, "Swachhata Udyami Yojana" under which loans are provided to manual scavengers; safai karamcharis engaged in hazardous  cleaning and their dependents to procure mechanised

NSKFDC is providing upskilling training to safai karamcharis to improve their skilling potential for handling mechanised equipment.

Under the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules 2013" the employer who engages the workers for cleaning sewers tanks is obliged to provide the safety devices and ensure safety precautions as prescribed in the Rules septic gear;

Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred question No. 55 for answer on 02.02.2021 regarding death of manual scavengers:

Details of cases of death of persons died while cleaning sewers and tanks during the last five years as reported by the States/Union Territories upto 31.12.2020. septic

| SI: No:   | Name of StateUT   | Total Number of sewer deaths   |
|-----------|-------------------|--------------------------------|
|           | Andhra Pradesh    | 16                             |
| 2         | Bihar             | 8                              |
|           | Chhatisgarh       |                                |
|           | Chandigarh        | 3                              |
|           | Delhi             | 36                             |
|           | Gojarat           | 32                             |
|           | Haryana           | 31                             |
|           | Karnataka         | 24                             |
| 10        | Kerala            | 3                              |
| 11        | Maharashtra       | 34                             |
| 12        | Madhya Pradesh    | 2                              |
| 13        | Punjab            | 17                             |
| 14        | Rajasthan         | 18                             |
| 15        | Tamil Nadu        | 43                             |
| 16        | Telangana         | 4                              |
| 17        | Tripura           | 2                              |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh     | 52                             |
| 19        | West Bengal       | 13                             |
|           | Total             | 340                            |