The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Monday came out with a detailed action plan that included modernising the sewerage system and facilitating mechanical cleaning so as to prevent human entry into sewers and septic tanks. The action plan also suggested storm water drainage tax by the municipal bodies within the maximum capping for Municipal Tax. Manual scavenging takes many forms, from clearing local garbage to 'cleaning' toxic sewers.
The number of deaths of sanitation workers, while cleaning septic tanks and sewers, has risen despite a ban on manual scavenging. 620 cases have been reported since 1993, of which 88 occurred in the past three years. Of the 15 States and Union Territories that submitted details to the Ministry, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of sewer deaths with 144 cases, followed by Gujarat with 131. Of the 88 cases reported in 2017, 2018 and 2019, till June 14, compensation was pending in 52 cases. This is despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, banning anyone from employing people to clean sewers. Manual scavenging refers to the south Asian practice of humans cleaning dry toilets and sewage systems.
Addressing a workshop at Vigyan Bhawan, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday said that the action plan envisages identification of appropriate technological interventions in the field of mechanised cleaning so as to eliminate manual entry into sewers and septic tanks. "Swachhchh Bharat is indeed the first step towards Swasth Bharat," Gehlot said. Union Minister for Urban Development Hardeep Singh Puri said his Ministry has made efforts to devise systems, processes and technologies for mechanical cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.
In a bid to prevent water logging during monsoon, the Ministry has also issued suggesting regular monitoring at the exit and entry point of water for the presence of undesirable collection of rubbish, polythene/paper bags blocking the passage of water and in every way ensuring free unobstructed flow of rain water during monsoon. The plan also suggests that all storm water management facilities should be inspected by a qualified engineer after every six months. In many cases, it was observed that due to delay in silt collection, significant proportion of the silt finds its way back in the drain. It is necessary that after cleaning of drains, silt should be lifted and transported to the disposal sites.
As far as action plan for drainage system is concerned, it said that all drains should be desilted thoroughly before onset of monsoon. According to action plan, the CCTV camera can be used for drainage pipes of diameter 100-900 mm. "Above 900 mm diameter (man entry and restricted also), there are limitations due to lighting problems and camera line angles. Continuous advances are being made in the quality and range of TV cameras,"the
"The agencies should ensure that all the drains are in good condition and works regarding, reshaping or profile correction, wherever required is completed well before the onset of monsoon," the guidelines said.
A storm water drainage system consists either network of drains connected with junctions or underground conduits connected with manholes and related appurtenances such as gutters, detention tanks, detention basins, pumping stations and outfall structures. Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary Nilam Sawhney and Municipal Commissioners of 500 cities attended the workshop.
