NMC spent Rs 7 crore on machines, yet manual scavenging continues. Nagpur News – Times of India

Former senior corporator Abha Pandey alleged that the use of manpower for cleaning the sewage network is nothing but a scam by the PHE department, which needs to be probed by the city chief.

Nagpur: Despite hiring four jet machines and paying taxpayers around Rs 7 crore to its operators, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is regularly deploying waste management personnel. manual scavenging,
Data received from Nagpur Municipal Corporation showed that the PHE department paid Rs 6,77,55,360 to operators of four jet and suction mounted vehicles in the last financial year (2021-22). NMC also spent money on operation and maintenance of 11 suction vehicles attached to 10 different zones.
Sources in NMC’s solid waste management said that at least 100 sanitation workers were attached to PHE in 10 areas and most of them are engaged in manual scavenging. Workers are getting into the sewer line without wearing a safety kit.
On Friday, TOI had reported how a sanitation worker got hurt while manually cleaning a sewer line. “Despite the ban on manual scavenging and the government’s claim to stop the practice, it continues in central, east and north Nagpur,” sources said.
Manual scavenging is prohibited under the Prohibition of Employment as Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR). Sources said the appointment of any person to manually clean, carry, dispose of or otherwise handle any human excreta for disposal is prohibited.
Former senior corporator Abha Pandey alleged that the use of manpower for cleaning the sewage network is nothing but a scam by the PHE department, which needs to be probed by the city chief. He said that blockage of sewerage lines is a perennial problem in old city areas like Muskasath, Itwari etc, which have many lanes and sub-lanes where even a four wheeler cannot enter. The problem of sewer line jam is a big problem here. Instead of finding a permanent solution, the department is hiring machines that cannot enter old areas,” said Pandey.
According to sources, the PHE department headed by Executive Engineer Shweta Banerjee insists on manual scavenging by sanitation workers at such places. Pandey said he had opposed manual scavenging in the past and demanded the use of hi-tech machines in old areas and stop huge payments to private operators.