Manual scavenging mishap: Protest against worker's death

Mysuru: A civic worker died and two others injured during manual scavenging of a drainage in Periyapatna near here on Monday. The deceased Madhu and workers Rajesh and Vishwa entered a manhole for clearing underground drainage of house owner Nagarathna. But while cleaning Madhu died of suffocation, the other two were admitted to the hospital and out of danger. Soon after the death of the worker, civic workers staged protest in front of Deputy Commissioner's office in Mysuru with the dead body.

Safai Karmachari Commission's former president Narayan said "One Madhu was forced to get into the manhole which led to his death. There is a Supreme Court order which is against manual scavenging. Someone from Madhu's family must be given a government job along with due compensation." He said, "there is no one to listen to our problems. Protest is the only way to draw the concerned authority's attention. The guilty should be punished so that issues like this don't recur again."

Karnataka Pourakarmika Mahasangha's state president D R Raju, state working president Manchaiah, state general secretary Dinesh Kumar and others were present. Deputy commissioner Dr Gautham Bagadi visited protestors and promised suitable compensation from government. Periyapatna police registered a case under section 589 IPC and arrested house owner Nagarathna.