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Journalism of Courage
Even after two days of the death of a sewerman who died of asphyxiation while cleaning a manhole in Sangrur district’s Lehragaga town, his body is still lying in mortuary.
A protest is going on outside the office of Nagar council in Lehragaga wherein the protesters are demanding the authorities to bring the culprits to book. They are demanding a case against the officials of Nagar council and the contractor who was getting the sewer cleaning work done. The protest is going on under the banner of Lok Chetna Manch, which has been joined by Class IV employees of Nagar council Lehragaga as well.
As the dharna is being staged outside the Nagar council office, the employees are not allowed to enter the office and so the day-to-day working of the Nagar council is getting affected.
On July 27, 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.
“As there was no help from the Nagar council or the contractor, another sewerman (Naresh) too went inside. Local residents somehow managed to fish out all the four with the help of a rope. Sukhwinder Singh had died by that time, while Sonu and Vinod were admitted to Rajindra Medical College and Hospital in Patiala and they are still in the hospital. Naresh was discharged after first aid,” said Namdev Bhutal, an office-bearer of Lok Chetna Manch, while speaking to The Indian Express.
He added, “The council has suction machines to clean the sewer. It also has trained sewermen. But despite these equipment and trained manpower, these untrained men were sent inside the manhole. They were working for Rs 9,400 per month salary. Sukhwinder Singh’s body is still lying in the mortuary but the authorities are looking the other way.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Harbhagwan Gurne, general secretary of Lok Chetna Manch, said, “When they have suction machines, why put human lives at risk? It is inhuman to not value the life of these men, and instead focus on cost-cutting. They wanted to save money and that’s why manual cleaning was preferred, instead of using machines.”
Amrik Singh, father of Sukhwinder Singh, is also sitting in the dharna. He is a daily wager and has also three daughters. Bhutal said, “We are demanding from the authorities Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family, besides a job.” The Indian Express tried to contact Mukesh Kumar, Executive Officer, Lehragaga Nagar council, but he could not be reached.
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