Manual scavenging continue in Madurai's limits

MADURAI: Though the city corporation claims that it has abolished scavenging in city limits, the practice of deploying humans inside manholes to clean clogged sewage appears prevalent. On Saturday around 10 pm, a team of six workers were seen cleaning manholes on the entire stretch of 80 Feet Road in Anna Nagar.
Upon being approached, they refused to divulge any information, merely stating that there contract workers for the corporation.No safety equipment was being used, other than a flashlight, rope, bucket and crowbar, and a long stick. The man who went inside manholes did not even wear gloves which collecting waste. After clearing a hole, they proceeded to the next, trying to finish their task as quickly as possible.
“Not just night, they can also be spotted during the day in the outskirts,” said Viduthalai Veeran of Aadhi Tamilar Viduthalai Iyakkam which works against manual scavenging. Though the city corporation maintains that there is no no manual scavenging in city limits, it happens a lot either at night or in the day time when there is little public movement, he charged.
Veeran listed out recent deaths in the state, like two workers who perished in Thanjavur two weeks ago. “Not just Madurai corporation, most of the municipalities, town panchayats and panchayat bodies also use workers to clean underground sewage channels and septic tanks. Many workers die inhaling poisonous gases or perish young due to diseases,” he said.
Public awareness is also low, and most people do not seem to mind the workers cleaning manholes. The movement has petitioned city corporation many times to no avail, he alleged.
When contacted, mayor V V Rajan Chellappa denied there was manual scavenging in city limits. “We have provided them necessary safety equipment and machineries to clean manholes and strictly instructed them not to get into manholes,” he said. When the Anna Nagar incident was pointed out to him, he said there were some workers who were lured by contractors with extra money and took such risks. “We will look into the issue and take action,” he added.