New Delhi: Despite the government’s repeated claims that manual scavenging has been eradicated in India, a disturbing wave of recent deaths among sanitation workers reveals an ongoing crisis marked by systemic caste oppression, legal violations, and official apathy.

Between February and May 2025 alone, at least 20 sanitation workers have died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks across the country — many without safety gear, legal safeguards, or accountability for those responsible.

Recent Tragedies Across India

On February 2, two sanitation workers died and another was critically injured while cleaning a sewer in Narela, Delhi. Hired by a private contractor, the workers were made to enter the toxic pit without any protective equipment.

That same day, in Kolkata’s Bantala Leather Complex, three men from Murshidabad—Farzem Sheikh, Hashi Sheikh, and Suman Sardar—lost their lives when a pipe burst during drain cleaning operations. The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) had engaged the workers. Authorities claimed industrial toxic gases caused the deaths. Despite a promise of inquiry by Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, similar probes in the past have rarely led to justice or systemic reform.

Ironically, these incidents occurred just days after a Supreme Court ruling on January 29, 2025, which categorically banned the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in metropolitan areas like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and others. The ruling, delivered by Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, came in response to a petition by Dr. Balram Singh and called for an end to manual scavenging practices.

Yet the deaths have continued, including:

• Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu (May 19): Three Dalit workers—Saravanan (30), Venugopal (30), and Hari Krishnan (27)—died from toxic gas while cleaning a sewage tank in a dyeing factory. The fourth worker remains hospitalized. The factory owner, manager, and supervisor have been booked under several laws, including the Manual Scavenging Act, the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

• Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh (April 3): Eight men died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a well in Kondavat village. The deaths occurred during preparations for the Gangour festival. Investigations are still underway.

• Faridabad, Haryana (May 21): One sanitation worker and the homeowner died during a rescue attempt in Sikri village. Police did not register an FIR, citing the absence of a formal complaint.

• Ahmedabad, Gujarat (May 16): Three young contract workers—Prakash Parmar, Vishal Thakor, and Sunil Rathva, all around 20 years old—died while cleaning a septic tank in a garment factory in the Danilimda area. The facility had been closed for a year, and cleaning was underway ahead of reopening. Authorities confirmed that no safety protocols were followed.

According to official data, nearly 92% of sanitation workers belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or Other Backward Classes. Human rights groups argue that these deaths are not accidents but the result of institutionalized casteism, economic vulnerability, and gross neglect of legal mandates.

Legal Framework Ignored

India has legally outlawed manual scavenging under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and provides constitutional protections under Article 17 (Abolition of Untouchability) and Article 21 (Right to Life). However, enforcement remains abysmally poor.

Despite Supreme Court orders and the legal framework in place, both government agencies and private contractors continue to violate the law with impunity.

DASAM Demands Justice and Reform

In response, the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) has issued a strong public statement demanding urgent action:

• Immediate registration of FIRs in all recent cases under relevant legal provisions, including the Manual Scavenging Act, SC/ST Atrocities Act, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

• Independent, time-bound judicial inquiries into each incident with public disclosure of findings.

• Minimum compensation of ₹30 lakh to families of the deceased.

• Full rehabilitation support for dependents, including housing, education, and employment opportunities.

• Revocation of licences of contractors and agencies violating safety and legal norms.

• A national audit of sanitation work practices, particularly in urban local bodies and private enterprises.

• Immediate ban on sub-contracting of sanitation work to unregulated intermediaries.

“These deaths are not isolated,” said a DASAM representative. “They reflect a broken system that continues to devalue the lives of India’s most marginalized communities. This is not a matter of charity but of constitutional responsibility and human dignity.”

The Way Forward

As manual scavengers continue to die in toxic sewers and septic tanks, India's conscience is again being tested. Will the country uphold the dignity of labour and its constitutional promises, or continue to turn a blind eye?

Unless the government takes decisive and transparent action, these deaths will remain more than just tragedies — they will be indictments of a nation that claims to have abolished manual scavenging while workers continue to die in silence.