Lok Sabha Question No. 3793 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Unavailability of Safety Gear to Sanitation Workers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dr. M P Abdussamad Samadani

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3793 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025

## UNAVAILABILITY OF SAFETY GEAR TO SANITATION WORKERS

3793. DR. M P ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that in 49 out of 54 sewer-related deaths in 2022 and 2023, the deceased workers were not provided any safety gear or PPE kits;
- (b) if so, the reasons for such gross neglect of mandatory safety measures; and
- (c) the steps taken to ensure strict enforcement of safety protocols by all agencies involved in sewer and septic tank cleaning, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): Audit reported that majority of the sanitation workers were engaged by the private individuals through unorganized sector without the availability of appropriate protective gears.

(c): Sanitation is a State Subject under VIIth scheduled of the Constitution of India.

As per "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013 (MS Rules, 2013)" it is mandatory for the employer to provide the safety gear, devices and ensure safety precautions as prescribed in the Rules.

Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in convergence with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the "National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)" Scheme in 2023-24 for implementation in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the country. The objective is to ensure safety and dignity of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and empower them socially and economically.

The scheme envisages provision of :-

- PPE Kits, AB-PMJAY cards to SSWs and Safety devices to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs). The State-wise details are at Annexure.
- Occupation safety training to sewer and septic tank workers.
- Upfront Capital Subsidy for sanitation related machinery to sanitation workers and their groups of maximum five persons.
- Organising Workshops on prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.

In addition, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also issued the following advisory for safe cleaning of sewer and septic tanks:-

- i. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for cleaning of Sewer or Septic tank.
- ii. Advisory for technical and managerial interventions for ensuring safety during sewer and septic tank cleaning through Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU).
- iii. Ready Reckoner for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for ensuring safety of sanitation workers.
- iv. Organising Safaimitra Suraksha Shivirs nationwide through ULBs to provide health checkups and linkage to social welfare schemes.

## Annexure referred in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3793 for answer on 12.08.2025 regarding Unavailability of Safety Gear to Sanitation Workers.

|   S.No. | State                          | PPE kits Issued   | Safety devices Issued to ERSUS   | Number of Beneficiaries covered under AB-PMJAY and State Health Scheme   |
|---------|--------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Andaman And Nicobar            | 40                | 1                                | 48                                                                       |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh                 | 2124              | 25                               |                                                                          |
|       3 | Arunachal Pradesh              | 86                |                                  |                                                                          |
|       4 | Assam                          | 308               | 31                               |                                                                          |
|       5 | Bihar                          | 2626              | 22                               |                                                                          |
|       6 | Chandigarh                     | 252               | 1                                |                                                                          |
|       7 | Chhattisgarh                   | 634               | 21                               |                                                                          |
|       8 | Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli | 116               |                                  |                                                                          |
|       9 | Delhi                          |                   | 0                                |                                                                          |
|      10 | Goa                            |                   | 2                                |                                                                          |
|      11 | Gujarat                        |                   | 1                                |                                                                          |
|      12 | Haryana                        |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      13 | Himachal Pradesh               |                   | 0                                |                                                                          |
|      14 | Jammu & Kashmir                |                   | 2                                |                                                                          |
|      15 | Jharkhand                      |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      16 | Karnataka                      |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      17 | Kerala                         |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      18 | Ladakh                         |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      19 | Lakshadweep                    |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      20 | Madhya Pradesh                 |                   | 4                                |                                                                          |
|      21 | Maharashtra                    |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      22 | Manipur                        |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      24 | Meghalaya                      |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      23 | Mizoram                        |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      25 | Nagaland                       |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      26 | Odisha                         |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      27 | Puducherry                     |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      28 | Punjab                         |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      29 | Rajasthan                      |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      30 | Sikkim                         |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      31 | Tamil Nadu                     |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      32 | Telangana                      |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      33 | Tripura                        |                   |                                  |                                                                          |
|      34 | Uttar Pradesh                  |                   |                                  |                                                                          |

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