18 March,2015 08:16 AM IST | | Sachin Unhalekar
Members of Municipal Workers Union allege that, despite several deaths taking place, the civic body has been flouting the 2006 HC directive asking it to provide staffers cleaning manholes with safety gear
Citing the 2006 Bombay High Court directive to the BMC on providing safety gear to its conservancy staff, especially the ones cleaning manholes, members of the Municipal Workers Union have accused the civic administration of gross negligence and of playing with the safety of the workers.
A cleaner being lowered into a manhole in Lalbaug on March 11. He had no safety gear and had to remain inside for a long time
A union member claimed that the high court had asked the BMC to provide manhole cleaners with earplugs, safety goggles, oxygen masks, gloves and gumboots for their safety, but the civic body has been flouting the directive despite several deaths taking place.
The Supreme Court had also issued a similar directive in 2011 and asked employers not to treat manhole workers as "mechanical robots" (see box). Mahabal Shetty, the working president of Municipal Workers Union, said, "As per the HC's directive, the BMC is supposed to provide every worker who cleans manholes with the necessary safety gear. However, nothing has been done till date."
Witness
When this mid-day correspondent passed a site in Lalbaug where the cleaning of a manhole was in progress last Wednesday, he observed that the worker had entered the manhole without any safety gear. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and had been lowered into the manhole with the help of a rope held by his colleagues.
The cleaner passed out buckets filled with filth and muck to workers outside, who dumped it right next to the manhole. A conservancy staffer, who is also a member of the union, said cleaners have no choice but to risk their lives every time they enter a manhole as this job is their only source of income.
