Sewer men, safai workers ill-equipped

Patiala, July 20

Ill-equipped sewer men and cleanliness workers of the Municipal Corporation continue to risk their health working in extreme situations during the rainy season. Always at the forefront during heavy rain and otherwise in terms of cleanliness, they work without safety gear, including gloves, and are prone to diseases.

There are 205 sewer men in Patiala. Sixty of them are regular MC employees and the others contract workers.

Sunil, who heads the cleanliness workers of the city, said the staff are forced to work in extreme situations. “At times, the difficulty takes a toll on their physical health as well. A cleanliness worker drowned in water collected in the flooded Gopal Colony two weeks ago,” he said.

Happy, a sewer man of the MC, said, “During rainy days, we are supposed to lift all lids off gutters, clean the sewer lines and ensure a proper flow of water in the nullahs. But the problem aggravates in case the sewer discharge and rainwater get blocked and accumulated. At times, we have to enter sewer pits and clean these as well.”

Ill-equipped cleanliness workers are also at the risk of contracting diseases. Jassi, one of the workers, said, “The workers are forced to work with inadequate safety equipment. In case of emergency, they also work in dirty sewer waters without proper gloves, boots and jackets and are forced to remove the trash thrown by residents with bare hands. A number of workers who were carrying out cleanliness work at Rishi Colony and Gopal Colony are suffering from skin diseases. They have to remove animal carcasses too.”

Another cleanliness worker said, “In terms of cleanliness of the city, the workers get to work from early morning at 6 am and continue till 11 am. They get back to work at 2 pm and continue till 5 pm. But still, the owners of various shops and house throw waste in the open. They should, at least, not dump it in the open.

Forced to work without gear

“The workers are forced to work with inadequate safety equipment. In case of emergency, they also work in dirty sewer waters without gloves, boots and jackets. A number of workers who carried out cleanliness work at Rishi Colony and Gopal Colony are suffering from skin diseases,” said a worker.