In Delhi’s Rohini, labourers were sent into sewers with just shovels and no safety gear, breaking a Supreme Court order. The PWD posted photos of the work on X but deleted them after strong public opposition.
A group of laborers in Delhi’s Rohini entered the sewers armed only with shovels and without any protective gear, violating a Supreme Court order. The Public Works Department (PWD) shared images of this desilting work on X, which sparked public outcry, leading to the post’s quick removal.
In preparation for the monsoon, the PWD is clearing drains and removing blockages across Delhi to prevent waterlogging.
However, the troubling images of workers surrounded by filth provided ammunition for the opposition to criticize the government.
Despite the Supreme Court’s directives and existing laws, manual scavenging persists in various regions of the country. The court has repeatedly emphasized the need to ensure worker safety and ban manual waste handling.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, president of Delhi’s AAP stated,
“The BJP government has always exploited Dalits and the poor. Look at how manual scavenging is being carried out. Legal action should be taken against this,”
Following the opposition, the PWD deleted the post. When media asked Chief Minister Rekha Gupta why manual scavenging continues in Delhi despite the Supreme Court’s orders, she responded,
“The government is preparing for the monsoon. In some areas, it’s not possible to use machines, so laborers have been deployed. However, the Delhi government is working in accordance with court orders.”
Tragically, a worker recently lost his life while cleaning a drain associated with the Delhi Jal Board.
According to Government of India data, 377 individuals died during drain cleaning from 2019 to 2023. In Delhi alone, 72 deaths occurred during cleaning activities between 2013 and 2024, as reported by the National Commission for Safai Karamchari.
In a landmark ruling in 2014, the Supreme Court issued directives to eliminate manual cleaning of waste and sewage, stating that no laborer should be required to clean hazardous sewers.
The court mandated that workers should not enter sewer lines without appropriate safety equipment and prescribed strict penalties for violators.
The court instructed all states and union territories to enforce the 2013 law aimed at ending manual scavenging and ensuring rehabilitation for affected individuals.
While the case was pending in the Supreme Court, the central government enacted the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
Petitioners called for the protection of their rights to life and equality.
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