HC seeks presence of civic bodies commissioners on manual scavenging issue

The Delhi High Court on Monday expressed concern over death of 10 manual scavengers in the last two months and sought the presence of the heads of the civic bodies here with details of employees under them working in hazardous environment.

A division headed by Justice Ravindra Bhatt said the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (East, South, North), the Delhi Cantonment Board, the Northern Railway and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has to give details of number of employees under them who are exposed to hazardous environment working condition such as cleaning of sewer pits on the next date of hearing on September 18.

The court also directed the Delhi government to furnish the magisterial enquiry into the death of the sewer workers indicating the responsibility of the concerned local authorities and individuals "whose failure of duty led to these tragedies".

"We want the police to register a complaint and proceed against the concerned officers and contractors," the court said.

The court said despite its numerous directions to implement the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 nothing has been done so far.

As per the 2013 Act, a person is punishable with upto two years in jail for engaging or employing any person for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank.

--IANS

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