2 manual scavengers suffocate to death in toxic chamber, another critical

Nagpur: Two manual scavengers died of suffocation while cleaning a hazardous sewage chamber at MIDC Butibori on Saturday, pointing to a shocking violation of Supreme Court directives and Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Rehabilitation Act, 2013.While two contractual workers, Prashant Manuje and Rahul Madavi, died inside the toxic sewers, a third worker, Suresh Patekar, was battling for life in a hospital after exposure to poisonous fumes. As per police, the trio entered the choked sewage pipeline chamber in front of Plot K-3 on their contractor's order and were not provided safety equipment, gas masks or oxygen support. The contractor has been arrested.Police and rescue teams broke open the chamber and extricated the trio after the workers collapsed inside the chamber. While Manuje and Madavi were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, doctors said Patekar's condition was critical.A case was registered at MIDC Butibori police station against contractor Gaurav Puri under Section 105 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and various provisions of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act.Talking to TOI, additional SP, Anil Mhaske, said, the contractor forced the workers into the dangerous confined space without protective gear in clear violation of safety norms. Senior officials from MIDC and the labour department visited the spot and launched a parallel inquiry into the safety lapses.The tragedy once again drew focus on the alarming continuation of manual scavenging in Nagpur and adjoining industrial areas. Recently, TOI highlighted how sewer and drain cleaning work continues manually across the city despite mechanisation claims by civic authorities. Earlier reports revealed nearly 65% of Nagpur's nullah cleaning operations were dependent on manual labour.Another civic disclosure revealed around 546 sanitary workers were routinely engaged in manually de-choking sewer lines and drains across Nagpur, despite a legal prohibition. The disclosures raised serious concerns over continued human entry into toxic sewer chambers without adequate safety mechanisms.Another TOI report had exposed how sanitation workers were being sent into manholes without oxygen cylinders, gas detectors or proper safety equipment, raising serious concerns over blatant violations of apex court directives.