Lok Sabha Question No. 1133 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-13
Subject: Septic Tank Cleaners
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. +1133 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2022

## SEPTIC TANK CLEANERS

## +1133. KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

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

- (a) whether a number of workers have died while cleaning septic tanks in the country during the current year and if so, the details thereof; large
- (b) the total number of such workers who died during the last five years and the current year; State-wise including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Haryana;
- (c) the reasons behind working of septic tanks cleaning workers in pitiable conditions and losing their lives usualy while working; and
- (d) whether the Government has taken any steps to stop the death incidents of workers while cleaning of sewage and tanks and to save the tank cleaners and if So, the details thereof? septic septic

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): The   Government  takes a serious cognizance of the deaths  occurring due to hazardous cleaning of sewers and tanks and non observance f safety precautions as prescribed under the 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013"\_ septic

State-wise details of persons who are reported to have died due to hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks during the last five and current years are at Annexure:

- (d): Ministry of Social  Justice and Empowerment has also formulated *National  Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem" (NAMASTE) particularly to stop deaths of Sewers and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs): NAMASTE intends formalization of system of cleaning of sewers and tanks operations so that only trained workers are engaged in cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and no person loses life due to hazardous cleaning; septic

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Annexure referred in reply to parts (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred  Question No: 1133 for 13.12.2022 regarding Septic Tank Cleaners:

Year-wise and State wise details of death of persons in sewers and septic tanks during the last five years and current year:

| S. No_   | Name of StatelUT     | 2017               | 2018               | 2019               | 2020               | 2021               | 2022               |
|----------|----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| S. No_   | Name of StatelUT     | Total No. of death | Total No. of death | Total No. of death | Total No. of death | Total No. of death | Total No. of death |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh       | 2                  | 9                  | 0                  |                    |                    | 3                  |
| 2        | Bihar                | 2                  |                    |                    |                    |                    |                    |
|          | Chhatisgarh          | 0                  |                    | 0                  |                    | 0                  |                    |
| 4        | Chandigarh           | 3                  |                    | 0                  |                    |                    |                    |
| 5_       | Delhi                | 13                 | 11                 | 10                 |                    | 4                  |                    |
| 6_       | Dadra Nagar & Haveli |                    |                    | 0                  |                    | 3                  |                    |
|          | Gujarat              |                    | 2                  | 14                 |                    | 5                  |                    |
| 8        | Haryana              | 11                 | 6                  | 16                 | 0                  | 5                  | 13                 |
| 9_       | Karnataka            | 3                  | 9                  | 7                  | 2                  | 5                  |                    |
| 10.      | Kerala               |                    |                    | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 11_      | Maharashtra          | 6                  | 5                  | 17                 | 4                  |                    | 12                 |
| 12_      | Madhya Pradesh       |                    | 0                  |                    | 0                  | 3                  |                    |
| 13.      | Odisha               | 0                  |                    | 0                  |                    | 2                  |                    |
| 14.      | Punjab               | 8                  | 2                  | 3                  | 0                  | 2                  |                    |
| 15.      | Rajasthan            | 6                  | 2                  | 5                  | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 16.      | Tamil Nadu           | 7                  | 9                  | 13                 | 9                  | 8                  | 10                 |
| 17.      | Telangana            | 2                  | 3                  | 0                  | 0                  | 4                  |                    |
| 18.      | Uttar Pradesh        | 17                 | 8                  | 28                 | 0                  |                    |                    |
| 19.      | Uttarakhand          | 2                  |                    |                    | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 20.      | West Bengal          | 10                 |                    | 2                  | 0                  | 4                  |                    |
|          | Total                | 100                | 67                 | 117                | 19                 | 49                 | 48                 |