Ahead of Mahamastakabhisheka, manual scavenging rears its ugly head

M.R. Venkatesh, chairman of the safai karmachari commission, showing a video clip of municipal workers allegedly being forced to clean manholes in Shravanabelagola .

Alleged instances of forcible manual scavenging have come to light in Shravanabelagola, which is gearing up for the Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations in February 2018.

Members of the Karnataka State Safai Karamchari Commission was informed of this during a surprise visit to the pilgrimage centre on Sunday. Among the 14 municipal workers of Shravanabelagola Gram Panchayat, three complained that they were forced to get down manholes and clean them.

M.R. Venkatesh, chairman of the commission, said at a press conference on Monday that the three workers — Anjaneya, Krishna and Nagabhushan — have given oral submissions before the commission’s member and officers. “Shravanabelagola is a major tourist spot. It is hosting a big event attracting lakhs of people from different parts of the globe. It is an insult to the State to continue the inhuman practice of forcing human beings to clean manholes. The government is spending crores of rupees on the event, but the officials lack the commitment to improve the lives of pourakarmikas,” he said.

The commission plans to take up the matter seriously and direct the booking of cases against those responsible. “One of the municipal workers told the commission that he was forced to get inside a manhole only two weeks ago. The Act abolishing manual scavenging is in force, but officials do not apply their mind to implement it,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

He also said the public toilets constructed long ago near the KSRTC bus stand at Shravanabelagola were not yet open to the public.

Representatives of the commission visited Hassan, Channarayapatna and other urban local bodies in the district in the early morning hours and noted that municipal workers were clearing solid waste without safety apparatus. “Except in Belur, workers were not using hand gloves or gumboots. The district administration has to book cases against all the officials responsible and the private contractors involved, as per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The punishment includes a penalty of ₹ 50,000 and imprisonment,” he said.

Mr. Venkatesh added that a majority of the municipal workers do not live till retirement age. “According to studies, 85% die of deadly diseases before retirement. This is because they work without safety apparatus.”