Manual Scavenging: Delhi High Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of Reports About Two Deaths Due To Inhalation Of Toxic Sewer Fumes

The Delhi High Court on Monday took suo motu cognizance of a news report stating that two men had died last week in city's Mundka area after they inhaled toxic gases inside a sewer.

A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government and Delhi Jal Board.

The Court also appointed Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao as amicus curiae to assist the Bench in the matter.

As per PTI report, the two men who had died were Rohit Chandiliya, who worked as a sweeper at Delhi Development Authority flats and Ashok Kumar, who was a security guard.

The news report stated that while Chandiliya was the first one to go inside the sewer, he fell unconscious after inhaling the toxic gases inside. Thereafter, Kumar went inside the sewer to rescue Chandiliya where he also fell unconscious. The two men were taken to a hospital but were declared brought dead.

Recently, the Centre had informed the Delhi High Court that due to various initiatives brought in by the Government, the number of tragic accidents while cleaning sewers and septic tanks have come down significantly.

The short affidavit was filed by the Central Government through its Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in a PIL filed in 2019 by Advocate Amit Sahni, seeking strict compliance of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 in order to prevent loss of lives due to manual cleaning of septic tanks and sewers.