No one should be allowed to enter manholes: CM tells local bodies

“Now, it has become very rare, but still at some places we get a human being to enter the manhole and tamper with his life. We must come out of it and for that, we are flagging off five sewer suction machines through Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM),” he said. The five machines will be stationed at zonal levels and pressed into service wherever required.

“All of us have to make an attempt so that no human being is used (to clean the manhole). No government agency should get a man to enter a manhole; it cannot be done under any circumstances. If there is too much of a difficulty, then we will install a new (sewerage) line, but no man has to be made to enter (the manhole),” the CM emphasised.

On the issue of roads in the state, Patel said the BJP government has built roads right up to the village-level and its quality has to be ensured by all the office-bearers of the local bodies. “If the roads develop potholes, then you certainly have to be ready that there will be complaints and you will have to fill it up or good roads have to be built,” he said.

“So whatever work (is done), its quality has to be good. There is no difficulty in getting photos clicked and sending it to any level. So, the work you do, how you do it — all these can be sent to the highest level, up to Delhi,” he added.

Ministers such as Harsh Sanghavi, Praful Panseriya, MLAs and office-bearers of the urban local bodies and Chief Secretary Raj Kumar also attended the event.