The Safai Kamgar Union (SKU) staged a protest in New Delhi on Saturday, 27 June, following the deaths of three sanitation workers inside a septic tank in Mundka, West Delhi. The union demanded safety audits across all workplaces, ₹50 lakh compensation for each deceased worker's family, and a government job for one family member per household.

What Happened in Mundka

Three sanitation workers died while working inside a septic tank in Mundka, a locality in West Delhi. The SKU condemned what it described as criminal negligence by the authorities, demanding that homicide cases be registered against the factory owner, the contractor, and the officials responsible. The union also called for strict punitive action against all parties involved.

Who Joined the Protest

The demonstration was organised under the SKU banner and drew sanitation workers from several institutions, including Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD), Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), and Delhi University (DU). The breadth of participation underscored the widespread anger among contractual sanitation staff across Delhi's public institutions.

The Systemic Failure Behind the Deaths

The SKU statement pointed to entrenched caste biases and class hierarchies as root causes, noting that the majority of sanitation workers belong to the Dalit community and live in precarious conditions. The union argued that the policy of hiring sanitation staff on a contractual basis — prevalent across institutions — strips workers of protections and leaves them at the mercy of private contractors.

'This is not an isolated incident, as every year, many sanitation workers die while cleaning sewers and septic tanks. This practice, which is outlawed, still exists even 75 years after India's Independence,' the SKU statement said.

The union further noted that manual scavenging — prohibited under law — continues in practice, enabled by privatisation of sanitation services and non-enforcement of labour laws. Government agencies, it said, have still not made the use of safety gear mandatory for sanitation workers on the ground.

Key Demands Raised by the SKU

Beyond compensation, the union demanded mandatory safety audits at all workplaces, enforcement of existing labour laws, and an end to the contractual hiring model for sanitation staff. It also called for accountability of private employer companies and contractors who, according to the SKU, routinely force workers to risk their lives without adequate protective equipment.

A Pattern That Keeps Repeating

The SKU noted that deaths of sanitation workers in sewers and septic tanks recur with alarming regularity across India, despite legislation explicitly banning manual scavenging. Critics argue that the combination of privatisation, weak enforcement, and social marginalisation of Dalit workers creates conditions where such tragedies are structurally inevitable. The Mundka incident, the union said, exposes the precarious reality facing not just sanitation workers but the broader informal workforce across the country.

With the union's demands now formally on record, pressure is expected to mount on Delhi authorities and the institutions involved to respond with concrete accountability measures.