Descending into a pit filled with faecal waste at Yeshwantpur, two hired labourers became testament to the prohibited yet continuing practice of manual scavenging in the city.
On December 27, neighbours and activists recorded two labourers manually cleaning a 15ft deep septic tank at a guest house at Yeshwantpur. While one labourer descended into the tank, and shovelled faecal matter out, the other labourer was seen transferring it to a box.
Venkatesh M., member, Dalit Bahujan Movement, who has filed a criminal complaint, said that over 60 houses in the layout were letting their sewage out into the tank. “This has been going on for years, but came to our notice only a week ago. The two labourers were being made to enter the tank, but had no gloves or boots. They had to stand in the faecal matter and use their bare hands,” he said.
Based on their complaint, M.R. Venkatesh, chairperson, Karnataka Safai Karamchari Commission, inspected the area and summoned local BBMP and police officers. “Unfortunately, the banned practice continues unabated in the city. The owners of the apartments had not even sought a sanitary line even though there is a good underground drainage network in the area. We have told the police to take strict action,” he said.
The city has already witnessed the death of more than 18 manual scavengers since 2013. In April 2016, four labourers died while cleaning a pit on Doddaballapur Road.
The RMC Yard Police have taken up a case under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. However, no arrests have been made and a senior officer said they were investigating the matter.
