The Delhi government on Monday announced a complete ban on manual scavenging in the city. Water Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam warned that anyone found violating the rule will be held guilty of culpable homicide, IANS reported. “We will also put up hoardings in this regard,” he said.
The directive was issued after another worker died while cleaning a sewer in the city. This was believed to be the 10th death related to manual scavenging in the city in the past five weeks.
The state has formed a committee that will help identify the best possible ways to clean gutters within 15 days. Gautam said it was “very unfortunate and shameful” that people had lost their lives while cleaning sewers in the nation’s Capital. He claimed “standing instructions” on a ban on manual scavenging were not being followed.
Gautam’s order came after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal held a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other officials. Baijal called for all sewers in Delhi to be cleaned mechanically, reported the Hindustan Times.
“Held a joint meeting with the honourable chief minister ,” he said on Twitter. “Directions issued for 100% migration to mechanisation for sewers/drains cleaning.”
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