Sewer deaths: Sanitation body's head demands relief for kin within 24 hrs

The Chief of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), Manhar Valjibhai Zala, on Monday visited the Lajpat Nagar spot where three labourers had died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a sewer pipe on Sunday. He asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to give compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased within 24 hours, as per the Supreme Court (SC) order.

Besides, senior officers of the Delhi Police, DJB, and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), and the District Magistrate (DM) of southeast Delhi were also called on the spot. An FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a senior police officer said.

During his visit, Zala directed the Delhi Police to invoke relevant provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, in the case. He also said the police must arrest the absconding contractor and take action against the DJB officials, if found guilty.

According to his statement, the DJB chief engineer told Zala that the board had not awarded any work order or contract for carrying out this work in the sewer. The DJB has ordered a probe to find out how these men entered the sewer without authorisation.

The three victims were identified as Joginder, 32, Annu, 28, and Mohan, 25.