The court, on January 23, had directed the chairmen of BWSSB and KUWSDB to attend court on January 31 concerning a petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which highlighted poor working conditions of pourakarmikas.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) have given an undertaking in the high court that manual labour will not be used for cleaning, clearing or unlocking any underground sewage system.
The court, on January 23, had directed the chairmen of BWSSB and KUWSDB to attend court on January 31 concerning a petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which highlighted poor working conditions of pourakarmikas.
The PUCL had contended that eight pourakarmikas had died in the last few months and demanded that `5 lakh compensation be given to the next of kin.
It also called for a high-level committee to look into their working conditions.
The BWSSB and KUWSDB have submitted an undertaken in court that in two days, they will file an affidavit undertaking that manual labour shall not be used for clearing, cleaning or unlocking any underground sewage system.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen has adjourned the case to February 28. The bench observed that by then “a decision is taken by the respondents for payment of ex-gratia or compensation to the families or dependents of those persons, who have lost their lives while cleaning underground sewage system or manholes or septic tanks.”
The bench observed that the petition has pricked their conscience and asked the respondents, “Do you need orders of the high court to give them compensation. Is it not pricking your conscience?”
The court was informed BWSSB had placed orders for jetters and other equipment used for cleaning/clearing of drains and would be available in the next three to four months. The bench observed how KUWSDB could disown responsibility, when more than 100-odd local bodies don’t have under ground drainage (UGD) facilities at all and the act says it has to do the job.
KUWSDB managing director NC Muniyappa has filed an affidavit in the court, which says: “It is clear that the drainage and UGD should be maintained by the local bodies. KUWSDB takes care of drinking water facilities and drainage for all cities except Bangalore. They have undertaken to maintain UGD in Bellary only and, as per the petitioner, there have been no instance of any death due to manual scavenging in Bellary.”
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