2 Bihar Sanitation Workers Die Cleaning Deep Sewer

Patna: Two sanitation workers died in Patna on Tuesday after inhaling toxic gases inside a sewer under the much-hyped Namami Gange Project. They were cleaning a sewer at Ward No. 56, near Zakariyapur, under the Ramkrisha Police Station, without any safety gear.

Ranjan Ravidas (24) and Munna Razak (23) were among nearly a dozen daily wagers hired by a contractor working for a private company responsible for cleaning the sewer.

One of the company’s field officers reportedly directed Ravidas to clean the 15-foot deep sewer. Soon, he started crying for help after inhaling toxic gases.  

Razak immediately entered the sewer to rescue Ravidas. But when they didn’t come out after 15-20 minutes, other workers entered the sewer and brought an unconscious Ravidas and Razak out. They died on the way to the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital. Subsequently, the police handed over their bodies to their families after the post-mortem and both were cremated on Tuesday night.

“Two sanitation workers died after entering a deep sewer. The police have registered an FIR based on the statement of the father of one of the deceased. The police will investigate the incident and have asked the private company to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families,” police officer Jahangir Alam told Newsclick. 

Government officials associated with the project refused to comment on the deaths. Similarly, the private company said that it is not authorised to comment.

Patna Nagar Nigam Chaturth Wargiye Karmchari Sangh leader Nand Kishore told Newsclick that the deaths were “caused by the negligence of the private company”.

“The poor workers were forced to enter the deep sewer without safety gear like masks and oxygen cylinders. Neither were there arrangements for handling such emergencies. The government should take action against the private company for causing the deaths,” he added.

Kishore demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families and a government job for one of their relatives. 

Hariram Das, a Patna Municipal Corporation sanitation worker, also said that no safety kit was provided to sanitation workers. “No one cares for us; we are treated like animals. But we have no option but to take risks to earn a livelihood,” he said.

Another young sanitation worker named Jogender said neither Corporation officials nor private companies follow safety rules. “They have been doing it for years, occasionally resulting in serious injuries and deaths. But who cares for the lives of the poor?”

Safai Karmachari Andolan national convener Bezwada Wilson said that, per the Supreme Court’s order, “it is a crime to force a human to enter a sewer line unless it is an emergency but not without safety gear”.