(Asian independent) New Delhi, India— At a time when the government claims that manual scavenging has been eradicated, the ongoing and preventable deaths of sewer and septic tank workers across the country reveal a starkly different reality, marked by impunity, systemic caste-based discrimination, economic exploitation, and institutional neglect.
On February 2, 2025, two sewer workers lost their lives, and another was critically injured while cleaning a sewer near Mansa Devi Apartments in Narela, Outer Delhi. Employed by a private contractor, they were made to enter a pit without any protective equipment. Days later, three workers—Farzem Sheikh, Hashi Sheikh, and Suman Sardar—died while cleaning a clogged drain in the Bantala area of the Kolkata Leather Complex. These workers, contracted by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), were reportedly swept into a manhole after a pipe burst, leading to their tragic deaths. Their bodies were recovered hours later by police, fire services, and disaster response teams. The Mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim, attributed the cause of death to the accumulation of toxic gas from industrial discharge and announced an inquiry. However, such investigations rarely result in meaningful accountability or reform.
These deaths occurred merely four days after the Supreme Court’s January 29, 2025 ruling, which categorically banned manual scavenging and the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in major metropolitan areas, including Delhi, Mumbai,
On May 22, 2025, three sewer workers died cleaning a septic tank at a woollen garments mill in Bikaner. On May 15, 2025, five workers got trapped inside a septic tank in the Deeg region of Rajasthan, in which one died and four others were critical. In April 2025, two sewer workers, one a minor, lost their lives cleaning the sewer line at a paper mill in Alwar. In Oct 2024, three Valmiki workers died cleaning a sewage line in Fatehpur, Rajasthan.
On 27 May 2025, four labourers died, and another four were hospitalised after inhaling toxic gases inside a septic tank at the factory of Achal Jewels in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. The workers were sent into the 10-foot septic tank of the Jewel factory, located in the Sitapura industrial area, to extract gold and silver from the residual sludge.
Meanwhile, more than 15 deaths of manual scavengers have been reported alone in Rajasthan since March 2025.
A Pattern of Tragedies Across India
-
Rajasthan (April 2025): In Fatehpur, Sikar district, two workers, including a 13-year-old, tragically died from suffocation while cleaning a blocked sewage line.
-
Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu (May 19, 2025): Three Dalit workers—Saravanan (30), Venugopal (30), and Hari Krishnan (27)—died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a sewage tank at Alaya Dyeing Mills and fourth worker were hospitalised. The factory owner, manager, and supervisor have been booked under various legal provisions.
-
Madhya Pradesh (April 3, 2025): Eight men died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a well ahead of the Gangour festival.
-
Faridabad, Haryana (May 21, 2025): A sanitation worker died while cleaning a septic tank in Sikri village’s Harijan Mohalla. The landlord, who attempted to rescue the victim, also succumbed to the toxic fumes. No FIR has been filed, and authorities claimed they had not received any formal complaints.
-
Ahmedabad, Gujarat (May 16, 2025): Three contract workers—Prakash Parmar, Vishal Thakor, and Sunil Rathva—died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a septic tank inside a garment factory in Danilimda, Gujarat. A fourth worker survived. The authorities confirmed that no safety protocols were followed during the cleaning.
-
Noida, Uttar Pradesh (May 3, 2024): Two workers, Nooni Mandal (36) and Kokan Mandal (40), died while cleaning a septic tank in a private residence. The workers were killed by inhaling toxic gases in a narrow shaft. An FIR was filed under the relevant sections of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, but no action was taken.
-
Rohini, Delhi (May 12, 2024): Two workers, Hare Krishna Prasad (32) and Sagar (20), were found unconscious in a septic tank and later died. The workers were not provided with any safety equipment. An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the law.
-
Sarojini Nagar, Delhi (October 8, 2024): Two workers died inside a sewer at a construction site in Pillanji village, Sarojini Nagar, Southwest Delhi. The workers were attempting to clear garbage in an unused sewer when they fell unconscious. A third worker also attempted to rescue them but fell unconscious in the process.
-
Anand Vihar, Delhi (November 4, 2024): Suraj Lohar, a 24-year-old security guard and sanitation worker employed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), was found dead inside a 21-foot-deep interceptor chamber at the DJB’s 1.6 M.G.D. Interceptor Chamber, Rajdhani Enclave, Anand Vihar. Suraj was not equipped with any safety gear, a tragic indication of the systemic lack of adequate safety measures.
-
Peelibeth, Uttar Pradesh (June 2, 2025): A family of three—Prahlad Mandal (60), his daughter Tanu Vishwas (32), and his son-in-law Kartik Vishwas (38)—died of suffocation while attempting to clean a septic tank, highlighting the dangerous nature of this work, involving entire families exposed to toxic gases.
-
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi (February 21, 2025): A shocking incident of manual scavenging occurred within the premises of Jawaharlal Nehru University, one of India’s leading educational institutions. A sewer worker was seen descending a metal ladder into a sewer, visible only partially from the opening. Despite protests from students and clear violations of the law, the contractor initially ignored these concerns and continued the hazardous work. The worker was not provided with safety equipment or cleaning tools, and no safety protocols were followed.
-
Koraput, Odisha (April 2025): Four sewer workers—Trilochan Bharat, N Santu, Lalu Rana, and Amir Khura—died from asphyxiation while cleaning a newly constructed septic tank in Podalaguda village, Nabarangpur district, highlighting the widespread neglect of worker safety, even in rural areas.
In 2024, 116 workers died, and in 2025, nearly 42 workers tragically lost their lives in the first six months of this year.
The total number of manual scavenger deaths from 2024 to 2025 so far is 158.
Despite the legal framework provided by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and the Supreme Court’s directive to eliminate manual scavenging, these deaths continue unabated.
Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) calls to take the following steps immediately:
-
Immediate Registration of FIRs: All deaths must be thoroughly investigated, and FIRs must be registered under appropriate legal provisions, including The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
-
Independent Judicial Enquiries: Every fatality should be subjected to an independent judicial inquiry. All findings must be made public, with accountability at every level of government and law enforcement.
-
Adequate Compensation and Rehabilitation: The families of deceased workers should be provided with a minimum compensation of Rs. 30 lakh, along with comprehensive rehabilitation packages that include housing, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for dependents and Rs. 20 lakh for disabilities.
-
Revocation of Licences: Contractors and agencies responsible for violating the Supreme Court’s ruling and engaging in illegal and hazardous manual scavenging must have their license permanently revoked.
-
Nationwide Audit: A nationwide audit of sanitation work practices must be undertaken, particularly focusing on private enterprises and urban local bodies, with a complete ban on the sub-contracting of manual scavenging to unregulated and unaccountable labour intermediaries.
The continued deaths of manual scavengers in India represent a deep failure to protect the most vulnerable members of society. These workers are not faceless entities; they are human beings with rights, dignity, and families who depend on them. DASAM stands in solidarity with the families of the victims and calls for immediate action to ensure that their deaths are not in vain. The lives of manual scavengers are not disposable—it is time for the government to fulfil its legal and moral responsibility to ensure their safety, dignity, and well-being.
Issued by: DASAM
Contact: 8491052270;9958797409
