Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurated a “PAN India Workshop on Prevention of Hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks” organized by National Safai Karmcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKLFDC) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), Delhi today. Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Smt. Neelam Sawhney, Mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation Shri Bipin Bihari Singh, Managing Director, NBCFDC Shri K. Narayanan and senior officers of M/o Social Justice and Empowerment and EDMC were present on the occasion.Addressing on the occasion, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot said that he is pleased to be a part of this momentous occasion of launch of Workshops on Prevention of Hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, as a part of yearlong commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi from 2nd October, 2018 to 2nd October, 2019.He said that Gandhi ji was deeply concerned about sanitation. He wanted to make sanitation a priority for India more than a century ago. While nation is celebrating one year period starting from today in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, it is apt that we maximise our interventions for sanitation and for those who do this important work.
Therefore, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has planned various activities in this regard, through the NSKFDC, during this period, which include :- Survey of Manual Scavengers and their rehabilitation ; Organising Workshops on ‘Prevention of Hazardous Cleaning of Sewers and Septic Tanks’; and Skill upgradation of sanitation workers and waste pickers through conducting 5 day training programmes.Shri Gehlot said that recent deaths of sanitation workers in and around Delhi have moved him a lot. His ministry has taken the initiative to organize these workshops all our the country to sensitize the municipal officers, sanitation inspectors, senior sanitation workers and contractors, He said that while we can control the operations of cleaning of sewers by bringing mechanization and taking due precautions, it is suggested that each municipality should take action to regulate the cleaning of septic tanks also as many deaths are taking place while cleaning septic tanks.The Minister hoped that through this initiative of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the sanitation workers, officers of urban local bodies etc. would directly and indirectly gain valuable insight into the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and the scenario of accidents and deaths during cleaning sewers and septic tanks would get changed comprehensively.