Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal municipal corporation (BMC) has distributed gloves and kits to only 400 sanitation workers while there are 8k workers engaged in sanitation work in Bhopal.

According to BMC employees, the working environment puts sanitation workers to a wide range of health risks and diseases due to exposure to harmful pathogens and sharp objects. Consequently, there is an urgent need to ensure safety and humane working condition.

Under various legislations, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are responsible for ensuring a safe working environment for sanitation workers. Sanitation sector and various services provided under it are hazardous in nature – some are moderately hazardous while many of them are extremely hazardous. BMC Employees Union president Ashok Verma said, ‘All 8k sanitation workers should be provided with gloves and kits. It is not justified to distribute gloves and kits to selective sanitation workers. This kind of discrimination is not good for the health of sanitation workers.’

BMC additional commissioner Devendra Chauhan said, ‘We have distributed gloves and kits to around 400 sanitation workers as they are pressed into service regarding human entry into sewer/ septic tank. It will not be distributed to other sanitation workers.’

Swachh Survekshan emphasises on improving safety of sanitation workers

Swachh Survekshan has also emphasised on improving the safety of sanitation workers. This reckoner guides the ULBs to ensure safety and dignity of sanitation workers engaged in their respective cities/jurisdictions.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has already issued an advisory for establishing an Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU) in all cities/ULBs with an objective to systemise human entry into sewer/septic tank through organisation of a professional, well trained, motivated and appropriately equipped establishment.


Rahul Dev

Cricket Jounralist at Newsdesk

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