Give protective gear to those cleaning sewers: HC to DJB

Delhi High Court today directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to ensure no person is engaged for cleaning sewer lines and other drains in the national capital without providing them protective gear and safety devices.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued the direction to the CEO of DJB who was asked to ensure it is strictly complied with.
The court also sought from the civic body a status report indicating steps taken to guarantee no person was engaged to clean sewers and drains without proper equipment.
The order came on a PIL filed in 2007 for rehabilitation of manual scavengers under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013 and Rules framed thereunder.

The directions to DJB came after some law students filed pictures showing persons engaged by the civic body in manually cleaning sewer lines and pits without any equipment.
Meanwhile, the municipal corporations maintained that as per information received by them there were no manual scavengers.
The court, thereafter, asked the law students to cooperate with the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to identify the manual scavengers so they can be provided legal assistance to avail the benefits under the Act and listed the matter for further hearing on August 3.