Tragic Toll of Manual Scavenging in Delhi: Urgent Call for Action

Despite being illegal, manual scavenging persists in India, risking workers' lives. A recent incident in Delhi highlights the peril, with one death reported. NGOs urge stricter enforcement and protective measures. Reports show hundreds have died from such hazardous work recently, demanding urgent governmental intervention.

Despite a nationwide ban, manual scavenging continues in India, posing severe risks to workers. This ongoing hazardous practice claimed another life recently, underscoring the urgent need for stricter enforcement and protective measures.

In a grim incident on Sunday, a 43-year-old worker named Panth Lal Chandra died, and two others sustained injuries while cleaning a sewer in Delhi's New Friends Colony. This occurred despite existing laws banning manual scavenging and mandating rehabilitation for such workers.

NGOs emphasize the need for steadfast action against those employing laborers for this lethal task. Authorities have been urged to use mechanical alternatives instead of sending workers into dangerous sewer lines, which remains a disturbingly common practice to cut costs.

(With inputs from agencies.)