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Sewage Plant Tragedy: Workers Lost in Hazardous Depths
19 Jun
Summary
- Two workers are missing in a Bengaluru sewage treatment plant.
- Activists allege illegal hiring and hazardous conditions for workers.
- BWSSB denies manual scavenging, citing unauthorized entry for gate repair.
Rescue operations are ongoing for two workers missing inside a Bengaluru BWSSB sewage treatment plant (STP). Activists have alleged that the men were illegally employed and forced into dangerous work without adequate safety measures. They claim the workers were hired by a contractor and not directly by BWSSB, which allegedly engages thousands of contractual sanitation workers.
BWSSB officials, however, have rejected the notion of manual scavenging, asserting that the workers entered the facility without authorization. Preliminary information suggests they were attempting to repair a gate, not clean sewage. The incident has reignited debates on worker safety, with labor unions demanding accountability from officials and contractors.
Efforts to locate the missing workers are being hampered by the dimensions of the 40ft-deep tank and limited breathing time for rescue teams. BWSSB has ordered a probe into the incident, and a committee has been formed to investigate the circumstances and review safety protocols at its facilities.
