Gurgaon: To completely ban manual scavenging in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has constituted a team to ensure that sewer and septic tank cleaning is mechanised. The team will look into requirements and procure required infrastructure and equipment to mechanise the process of cleaning, officials said.
In an order, MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said that the civic body has decided to participate in the Safai Mitra Suraksha Challenge, an initiative launched by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs. “Under this programme, citizen awareness shall be created with an aim to ensure that no life of any sewer or septic tank cleaner is ever lost again owing to the issue of ‘hazardous cleaning’,” the order said.
“MCG currently has two robotic machines, two jetting machines, two super sucker machines and a few suction tankers to clean sewer and septic tanks. We use manual scavenging only in emergency situations, however, now we are completely going to stop this practise and all sewer and septic tank cleaning will be done through machines. No person should enter a manhole and septic tank. A video conference meeting was also held on Wednesday to give us directions on the future course of action to implement the programme. We are now going to access the requirement of machines and other equipment for mechanised cleaning,” said Radhe Shyam Sharma, superintending engineer-2, MCG, who has been appointed as the nodal officer to implement the programme.
MCG officials said that a meeting of the executive engineers has been called on Thursday to access the requirement and prepare estimates for procurement of machines and equipment. A team from the Centre and will also review our work done under the programme. The challenge has been launched in 243 cities across the country to mechanise sewer and septic tank cleaning operations by April 30, 2021.
Since MCG has also decided to participate in the competition, an on-ground assessment of Gurgaon along with other participating cities will be conducted in May 2021 by an independent agency and results of the same will be declared on August 15, 2021. The participating cities will be awarded in three sub-categories -- with a population of more than 10 lakhs, between three and 10 lakhs and up to three lakhs.