Two BBMP contractors have been booked by the Whitefield police for allegedly forcing labourers into manual scavenging and cleaning clogged drains and manholes without providing them with adequate safety gear.
According to the police, the contractors are also accused of assaulting the labourers when one of them refused to do the job.
The incident came to light when H. Abraham, one of the labourers. registered a complaint with the Whitefield police against BBMP contractors K. Srinivas and Puneet. In his complaint, Abraham alleged that the duo engaged five labourers from Hagadur to clean clogged drains and manholes a few days ago. The complainant alleged that the labourers were not given masks and gloves.
When Abraham objected, the duo allegedly assaulted him and refused to pay him the promised wage of ₹2,500. When the other labourers also objected, the contractors allegedly threatened to withhold their wages too.
The Whitefield police have booked the contractors under various sections of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 ( under sections 5, 7, 8, 9) and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Ordinance 2014.
Mayor Sampath Raj said the licences of the contractors would be cancelled. “If they continue to have the licence, they might put the lives of other labourers also at risk,” he said.
