Chennai, Feb 4 (BPNS)
Coimbatore corporation has canceled the contract of Namma Toilet near Gandhipuram bus stand after an elderly person complained that he was forced to clean the septic tank by the contractor.
The issue took place on Friday when the contractor forced an elderly person to clean the septic tank and the man cut his hands while cleaning this. This was following a broken piece of bottle cut his hand.
The employees of the Namma toilet also complained that the contractor used to force them clean the septic tank with bare hands. Speaking to BPNS an employee who does not want to be named said, “ The contractor used to force us to clean the septic tank of the corporation toilet with bare hands. Several anti-social elements use these toilets to drink alcohol and then throw the bottles in the toilet thus clogging the septic tank and then the contractor makes us clean this. Cleaning the septic tank with bare hands leads to our hands getting cut and this incident came to light as he employed a person from outside who complained to the police.”
Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner, Dr. M. Sharmila while speaking to media persons said that the contract of the toiler has already been canceled and a notice issued to the contractor.
It is to be noted that the practice to remove human excreta using bare hands is banned across the country by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013( PEMSR).
Sources in Coimbatore however told BPNS that several individuals and institutions have been employing people to clean septic tanks and sewers using humans. The Coimbatore corporation has also imposed a fine of Rs 15 lakh on any institutions or people if anyone loses their life while being employed as a manual scavenger.
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