NCSF directs officials to eradicate manual scavenging

Vijayawada: Chairman of the National Commission for Safai Karmachari Manhar Valjibhai Zala on Thursday directed the district officials to take measures for the total eradication of manual scavenging and for the implementation of welfare schemes for the sanitary workers in the district.

He was addressing a meeting organised at the VMC council hall with the officials of various departments and representatives of the NGOs. Manhar said the National Commission for Safai Karmachari (NCSF) was trying to eradicate the manual scavenging and he explained the efforts being made the government and NCSF to eradicate the manual scavenging.

He said the government was implementing various welfare schemes and rendering financial assistance through the National Safai Karmachari Finance Development Corporation and warned that stringent action would be taken against the persons responsible for the manual scavenging. He enquired about the number of sanitation workers engaged in manual scavenging in the district.

District collector Md Imtiaz said as many as 267 manual scavenging workers were identified in the district and financial assistance of Rs 1.08 crore was sanctioned to the families. He explained the welfare measures being taken to help the families for their education and livelihood.

Municipal Commissioner Prasanna Venkatesh said five sanitation workers died in the city since 2016. The families of three deceased workers were given compensation of Rs 10 lakh and the families of two workers got Rs 2 lakh each.

Responding to it, Manhar directed the Commissioner to take measures to sanction remaining Rs 8 lakh each to the kin of the two families. He asked the officials to root out the manual scavenging in the district at any cost and provide safety equipment to the sanitation workers.