Families of conservancy workers who died of asphyxiation get relief

Coimbatore: The national commission for safai karamcharis (NCSK) on Wednesday met the relatives of the three people, who died of asphyxiation while cleaning a sewage tank at a dyeing unit in Tirupur city recently.

Police registered a case under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, after Vadivel, 32, Dinesh Pandian, 28 and Rajendran, 55, died on November 14.

NCSK chairman M Venkatesan visited the dyeing unit and visited Vadivel’s house to meet his widow Manimegalai and his four daughters, aged between four and 12. He told them that the government will take care of the education of the children.

The chairman extended all possible assistance, including a job, Manimegalai told TOI. “I am happy that my daughters’ education will be taken care of. A part of the compensation amount has also been released,” she said. “We live in a thatched house in a poramboke land without any income.”

Venkatesan is expected to attend a review meeting at the collectorate on Thursday.

M Thangavel, founder of NGO Vizhuthugal who is helping the families, said the commissioner urged the relatives to submit a petition at the meeting.