Tragedy Strikes: Two Scavengers Lose Lives in Nandigram, Bengal
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Synopsis
Two workers tragically died during manual scavenging of a septic tank in Nandigram, West Bengal. This incident is the second of its kind this month, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by manual scavengers in the region. Experts are advocating for technological solutions to ensure safety and dignity in sewage cleaning.
Key Takeaways
- Two workers died in Nandigram due to toxic gas exposure.
- This is the second such incident in February.
- Previous incident involved three workers in Bantala.
- Supreme Court has banned manual scavenging in major cities.
- Experts propose robots for sewage cleaning.
Kolkata, Feb 16 (NationPress) Two workers involved in manual cleaning and scavenging of a septic tank in Nandigram, located in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal, tragically lost their lives on Sunday.
This incident marks the second occurrence of such a tragedy in West Bengal this month.
Previously, on February 2, three workers who were engaged in manual cleaning of a sewerage drain pipe in the Bantala leather complex on the eastern outskirts of Kolkata also perished.
In both cases, the fatalities were attributed to toxic gas released from the sewage, indicating that the workers had undertaken manual scavenging without adequate safety measures, including the use of protective gear.
The workers who died in Nandigram have been identified as Mrityunjay Jana and Manas Giri.
A local individual, Kanai Jana, who witnessed the manual scavenging, also fell ill due to the toxic gas and is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
The deceased workers' bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination.
Tension has arisen in the area following this incident.
Notably, just last month, a bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, imposed a complete ban on manual scavenging and sewage cleaning in six major metropolitan areas, including Kolkata.
The next hearing is set for February 19.
Recently, during a meeting organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) focusing on the rights and dignity of manual scavengers, experts proposed the use of robots for cleaning sewage lines and septic tanks.
NHRC Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying causes to propose effective solutions during the discussion on 'Dignity and Liberty of Individuals -- Rights of Manual Scavengers'.
