Three manual scavengers die in Delhi after being forced to clean tank without safety gear
Three men died on Friday in Delhi's Sultanpuri area after being forced to manually clean a septic tank without any safety equipment, according to their families. The deceased were identified as Arun, Chand, and Sandeep, all residents of the same locality and working as sewage tank cleaners.
Arun, a daily wage worker, had left home that morning after receiving a call from his contractor, Naresh. His wife Aarti said he was told to clean a tank. She later learned that he had fainted inside the tank and died. Arun's brother Narender alleged that no safety gear was provided to the workers.
According to family members, the contractor first asked Chand to enter the tank when mechanical cleaning failed. When Chand did not emerge, Arun followed him in. Sandeep, who had recently lost his job, also entered to try to save them but did not survive.
Manual scavenging is prohibited under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. However, the practice continues, often with workers lacking protective equipment. The Delhi government has been urged to enforce the law and provide compensation to the families.
As of the time of reporting, the bodies were at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, and the contractor had not been arrested. The families have demanded strict action and support for the dependents, which include young children and elderly parents.
