Gandhinagar: Congress flags 73 sanitation worker deaths, targets govt over ‘inhumane’ practices

Gandhinagar: Citing official data, the state unit of the Congress party said on Monday that 73 sanitation workers have died in Gujarat over the past 10 years due to “inhumane practices like septic tank and sewer cleaning.” The party also alleged that the state govt has failed to show the willpower to effectively enforce provisions of the law banning manual scavenging.

Addressing reporters at the GPCC headquarters, spokesperson Hiren Banker said, “The inhumane and degrading practice of manual scavenging, septic tank and sewer cleaning continues in Gujarat. Govt data shows 73 people have died in the state in 10 years due to such activities. Why does the BJP govt, despite these fatalities, not provide adequate safety equipment for cleaning?”

Four people, including three sanitation workers, died while cleaning a septic tank at a jewellery processing unit in Surat on Sunday morning. Police said the deaths were caused by inhalation of toxic gas, leading to asphyxiation. “Such incidents continue to occur frequently in the state,” Banker said.

Meanwhile, human rights activist Kantilal Parmar has also written to the NHRC regarding the deaths of sanitation workers in Surat and has demanded action against those held responsible.