Manhole tragedy: Top SC body official visits spot, meets kin of deceased workers

HYDERABAD:  The Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Arun Halder on Tuesday directed concerned officials to take stringent action against contractor B Yellaiah, who is reportedly responsible for the death of two SC workers, so that it sends a strong warning to other contractors against using workers as manual scavengers.

Two workers, Ananthaiah and Shiva, died while carrying out manual desilting works at Padmavathi Colony, Saheb Nagar in LB Nagar last week.

Halder, along with NCSC member Ramulu, NCSC Hyderabad Director G Sunil Kumar Babu carried out a visit to the spot of the incident. He also interacted with family members of the deceased at their residences.
Halder expressed his deep anguish over the hiring of manual scavengers at night, which is against the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

He added that manual scavengers should not be employed for cleaning the septic tank or sewer lines as per the Act. He said the Municipal Administration Department engaged manual labour for cleaning the manholes and sewer lines, which ultimately led to their death. He directed the officials to engage machines for that purpose.  

He directed GHMC Commissioner D S Lokesh Kumar to provide Employee Deposit Life Insurance (EDLI), a double-bedroom house, employment to kin and also Rs 5,000 in pension with Dearness Allowance to each family.

The officials informed Halder of the monetary relief measures provided by the State government to the families of the deceased. They informed that a case has been filed and the contractor and sub-contractor were arrested and also action was taken against three officials.