Pic for representation
BMC, meanwhile, reported zero manual scavenging deaths between 2021 and 2024, saying no municipal employee or worker directly hired by a contractor had died in such incidents. Section 24(2)(f) allows up to four social workers or community representatives on district committees, including at least two women.
Vikramkumar Chandeliya, a non-govt member of Mumbai Suburban’s committee representing Akhil Bharatiya Safai Mazdoor Congress, said he has repeatedly been raising concerns about workers clearing clogged drains, and that too without gloves or gumboots in Kurla, but civic officials deny manual scavenging was occurring. “I live in Kurla and often see workers manually clean drains without safety gear,” he said, adding that some workers had told him they were hired through BMC contracts. You keep pointing fingers and making people run from one place to another, while refusing to acknowledge the existence manual scavengers,” he said. Jagdish Kharalia of Shramik Janta Sangh, a Thane committee member, said meetings often produced little action. Kharalia also said committee members lacked the authority to intervene in cases of manual scavenging and needed official powers, along with transport or travel allowances, to conduct inspections. The social welfare department said it would advertise for applicants with relevant field experience.
It treats cases on private premises or involving informal hires as outside its scope. Sitaram Shelar of Centre for Promoting Democracy called the lack of accountability a deliberate way of shifting responsibility. “It’s a planned strategy. “The committee is meant to visit sites, verify incidents, submit reports and recommend action wherever necessary. But none of this happens properly. We have repeatedly demanded action-taken reports on decisions made at meetings,” he claimed. Representation is another concern. Mumbai Suburban has only one non-govt member after another died.