Five workers die while cleaning sewage tank, plant in-charge arrested

On September 9, five workers died in a sewage treatment plant (STP) inside DLF Capital Greens in West Delhi. These included Pankaj Kumar, 26, Umesh Kumar, 22, Mrityunjay Kumar Singh aka Raja, 20, and two 19-year-olds, Sarfaraz and Vishal.

So far the plant in-charge, who was employed by a private firm, JLL, has been arrested and notices have been sent to other companies to provide the contract documents, The Indian Express reported. The report also stated that JLL had handed out contracts for maintenance of the residential complex to two firms — Unnati (sewage cleaning) and Crest (housekeeping). Of the five who died cleaning the STP, four men were employed by Unnati, and the other by the second firm.

Quoting police sources, Express has also stated that “multiple persons who had asked the men to enter the tank” have been identified and a search is on to find them.

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about the deaths of the five men, the National Human Rights Commission of India has sent a notice to Delhi government and Delhi Police asking for a report, The Indian Express reported.

Over the last 7 years in Delhi, 31 workers have died cleaning sewer lines, rainwater harvesting pits or sewage treatment plants. In 2016, Newslaundry in collaboration with ScoopWhoop had covered the life of manual scavengers in Mumbai. You can watch the video below.