On Sunday morning three workers lost their lives while cleaning a manhole at Kolkata's Leather Complex, a task that should have been prohibited under the Supreme Court’s ban on manual scavenging. The incident occurred around 9 am raising questions about why such dangerous practices were still being followed despite clear legal restrictions.

Details & Context

While the entire state of West Bengal was celebrating Saraswati Puja, three workers were tasked with cleaning a manhole filled with chemical waste and foul-smelling debris. The workers, employed by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), initially sent one man into the manhole. After he did not surface two more workers followed but none of them returned. Despite rescue attempts by local police, firefighters and disaster response teams, all three were found dead hours later.

This tragic incident comes despite a Supreme Court ruling from January, which explicitly banned manual scavenging in six major cities, including Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The court had also instructed that families of workers who lose their lives in such incidents should receive compensation between 10 to 30 lakhs.

The question now arises...! Why were workers still sent into hazardous manholes to perform this dangerous task.?

Quotes

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim expressed his shock and promised an investigation. He criticized the decision to send workers into such a risky environment, stating, “The toxic gases inside the manhole should have been checked before sending the workers. This should never have happened. We will take strict action against those responsible.”

Additional Information

The Supreme Court’s ban on manual scavenging is a vital step toward protecting workers from hazardous conditions. Yet despite this, similar incidents continue to occur across the country. The government had previously reported that in 456 districts, no deaths of sanitation workers were recorded but such tragedies still take place, highlighting systemic failures to implement safety measures.

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Impact Analysis

This incident underscores the persistent challenges in enforcing the Supreme Court's orders and ensuring worker safety. The ongoing practice of manual scavenging despite legal prohibitions is a stark reminder of the urgent need for proper mechanisms and oversight to protect vulnerable workers.

The loss of three lives in the Leather Complex tragedy calls for immediate action to ensure that such incidents never happen again. The government must hold accountable those who fail to implement safety measures and prioritize the welfare of workers.