No action yet in sewer deaths; families to get Rs 55 lakh aid

Jaipur: No formal action had been taken till Saturday in the deaths of two labourers cleaning a sewer chamber on Shekhawat Marg near Niwaru Road, even as the administration announced Rs 55.25 lakh compensation for each victim’s family after late-night talks with sanitation workers’ unions.Kardhani SHO Sawai Singh said, “So far, neither the families nor anyone else has lodged an FIR or formal complaint. However, we are investigating the matter.”Under the settlement, families of Ajay and Rambabu will receive compensation comprising Rs 30 lakh from the Directorate of Local Bodies, Rs 10 lakh from JMC, Rs 10 lakh from the contractor, Rs 5 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund and Rs 25,000 from Civil Lines MLA Gopal Sharma.Officials said the disbursal process has begun, with Rs 5 lakh already given to each family, while additional instalments are scheduled over the next few days.Besides monetary support, one dependent from each family will be given a contractual job, and each family will also receive a dairy booth to support livelihood.Sanitation Workers Union president Nandkishore Dandoriya said, “Late at night, MLA Gopal Sharma and other officials came for talks on behalf of the govt. It was after their assurance that we decided to call off our proposed protest.” The union later withdrew its strike.However, accountability remains unclear. JMC commissioner Om Kasera said, “A probe committee will be formed soon. Only after that any action will be taken.”Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, Civil Lines MLA Gopal Sharma and former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas visited Kanwatia Hospital Friday night and met the bereaved families.Criticising the incident, Jully said, “When a law already exists, manual cleaning of sewer chambers is wrong.” Khachariyawas said, “Under the law, workers cannot be sent into sewers for cleaning, yet employees were made to enter the chamber to clear sludge. If the govt betrays these families, Congress will stand with them and protest on the streets.”Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot also questioned the govtt through a social media post, saying, “Two sanitation workers died cleaning a sewer, yet no accountability has been fixed. ”He added, “Manual scavenging is a shame and the chief minister must act.”