Lok Sabha Question No. 5028 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Sanitation Workers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri K Gopinath

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5028 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2025

## SANITATION WORKERS

## 5028. SHRI K GOPINATH:

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

- (a) the details of deaths that have occurred due to the cleaning of sewers and drainages since 2019, State and year-wise;
- (b) Whether the Government has disbursed the compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs and Rs. 30 lakhs, as directed by the Supreme Court, to the families of sanitation workers who have died due to hazardous cleaning practices since 2014 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has disbursed any compensation for workers that have been permanently disabled due to unsafe sewer/septic tank cleaning practices since 2014 and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has not maintained data on the caste composition of workers in the sanitation and cleaning sectors, despite evidence that over 90% are from Dalit communities and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): As per information provided by National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), year-wise and state-wise details of workers who have lost their lives due to hazardous cleaning of sewer/septic tanks since 2019 to till date is at Annexure.
- (b): In compliance of Hon'ble Supreme Court directions, Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 30 lakh has been disbursed to the family of 636 and 32 sanitation workers respectively, since 2014 who have died due to hazardous cleaning.
- (c) and (d): No incident of disability has been reported from the States/Union Territories.

The reports sent by States/UTs does not mention the caste details.

Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5028 for answer on 01.04.2025 regarding Sanitation Workers

Year-wise and State-wise details of deaths occurred due to hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tank since 2019 (till date)

| S. No   | Name of State/UT     | 2019   | 2020   | 2021   | 2022   | 2023   | 2024   | 2025   |
|---------|----------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1       | Andhra PradeshR      |        |        | 2      | 3      |        |        | 0      |
| 2       | Bihar                |        |        | 0      | 0      | 2      |        |        |
| 3       | Dadra & Nagar Haveli |        | 0      | 3      |        |        |        |        |
| 4       | Delhi                | 12     |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 5       | Goa                  |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 6       | Gujarat              | 23     |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 7       | Haryana              | 16     |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 8       | Jharkhand            |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 9       | Karnataka            |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 10      | Madhya Pradesh       | 1      |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 11      | Maharashtra          | 16     | 4      |        |        |        |        |        |
| 12      | Odisha               | 0      |        |        |        |        |        |        |
|         | Punjab               | 3      |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 14      | Rajasthan            | 5      |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 15      | Tamil Nadu           | 22     | 16     |        |        |        |        |        |
| 16      | Telangana            |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| 17      | Uttar Pradesh        |        | 0      |        |        |        |        |        |
| 18      | West Bengal          |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
|         | Total                | 124    | 39     | 62     | 87     | 63     | 50     | 5      |

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