BMC decides to put an end to manual cleaning of drains

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Following drowning cases of labourers, while cleaning sewer lines, the BMC has decided to put an end to manual cleaning of sewers and storm water drain lines. The contractors will be warned to strictly adhere to cleaning sewer or SWD lines only mechanically and not by entering the manholes.

"We are in the midst of fixing the responsibility on the contractors if any labourer is found entering manholes for cleaning sewer or SWD lines. We are going to keep a strict vigil and have also informed the ward offices to ensure that there is no manual cleaning and only mechanical cleaning," said a senior civic official on the condition of anonymity. The BMC is now looking at reducing human efforts as it has started sweeping roads mechanically and has given out contracts for this purpose on arterial roads.

Safety nets such as bucket-shaped metal frames to be fixed in the manhole and wire mesh over the manhole/grated cover over the manhole, were discussed. These were also implemented with BMC covering 1,425 manholes with metal mesh, fixed six inches below the road level, at a cost of about Rs 1.38 crore.

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