No gear, compensation missing: In Delhi, manual scavengers have their say

Sunil (34), a safai karamchari, added, “We get a cheque of Rs 14,000 every month, but contractors take a cut and we are left with Rs 7,000-8,000. Though we visit authorities in case of any problem, no one listens.They make us wear the gear only for photos. On October 8, I was removed from the job as I asked for a raise.”

Families of many workers who died cleaning sewers alleged they did not receive compensation, or the amount paid to them was not enough. As per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the government is liable to provide scholarships to children of manual scavengers who died, in addition to providing skill training to an adult member of the family.

However, Sher Singh (40), who was injured while trying to save two workers cleaning a septic tank at Bhagya Vihar in May, alleged he did not receive the compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh promised by the Delhi government. Two labourers died and three, including Singh, were injured.

Families of the two workers who died in the incident said they were given Rs 10 lakh each in compensation, but none of their kin were provided government jobs as mandated under the Act.

Dr Neelam, a professor at Delhi University and a Dalit activist, said, “All manual scavengers belong to the SC/ST category. It is illiteracy and poverty, but mainly society’s casteist leanings, which make them believe they are made to do this job.”

AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, who is vice-chairman of the DJB, said, “All our employees get direct money transfer straight to their account. But we don’t pay contractual workers, that the private companies pay.” On the Bhagya Vihar incident, he said: “This should not have happened. We will investigate this.”