Manual Scavengers

'Bas thoda aur kaam hai aaj': Under harsh Delhi sun, this 18-year-old manually cleans drains — for just Rs 500

June 09, 2025 10:43 am

Just a few days ago, photos of many workers like Sonu who cleaned drains had surfaced on the official X handle of the PWD last week — a post that has since been deleted following outrage

Maharashtra govt plans to procure 100 robots to clean manholes

April 15, 2025 11:44 pm

The trial will run for at least a month and a detailed report on its functioning will be compiled based on which further action will be taken

Gujarat Assembly passes motion to repeal Act on manual scavengers

March 28, 2025 10:28 pm

The motion to pass the resolution to repeal the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 was passed unanimously

UPSC Issue at a Glance | Manual Scavenging in India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Delhi sewer death again shows our failure to eradicate manual scavenging

March 25, 2025 1:41 pm

Despite a 2013 Act and numerous SC judgments, there have been zero convictions for sewer deaths

Worker dies cleaning sewer in New Friends Colony, 2 injured; DJB denies men were its staff

March 18, 2025 4:19 am

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the workers were inside the manhole, carrying out maintenance, when they lost consciousness likely due to toxic fumes or lack of oxygen

'Everything changed the day I lost my son': For 3 women whose loved ones died cleaning sewers in Delhi, justice out of reach

December 01, 2024 6:03 pm

The Indian Express tracked down and met the three women to know how their lives changed overnight and where their case stands — it found a swell of despair and helplessness.

Nar Singh’s wife Salesh Devi and daughter Shanu at their home in Baghpat, UP. Singh died while trying to save another man cleaning a sewer in Delhi in 2009. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

Delhi’s dirty secret: For 75 sewer deaths over 15 years, only one conviction

December 01, 2024 10:36 pm

The official lack of action, experts say, is telling because many of these sewer deaths occurred at high-profile locations in the national capital, including leading hotels, hospitals and malls.

Rajasthan: 3 sanitation workers die while cleaning sewage line

October 23, 2024 10:59 pm

Family members and relatives of the victims staged a sit-in protest demanding compensation of one crore rupees and a government job to the kin of the victims.

Sangrur sewerman's death: Body not yet cremated; protesters ask authorities to bring culprits to book

July 30, 2023 9:41 am

On July 27, a sewer cleaning work was going on in Lehragaga. Sewerman Sukhwinder Singh (30) had gone inside the manhole apparently without any safety kit. As he didn't come out for some time, his colleagues Sonu and Vinod too went inside to look for him.

Maharashtra: Following HC rap, GR issued to provide compensation to widows of 3 manual scavengers

November 17, 2021 11:09 pm

A compensation of Rs 10 lakh each was awarded by the Bombay High Court to the three women more than two months back, but since the money was not paid, their advocate, Isha Singh, brought the matter to the court's notice earlier this month.