Demand for action against private agency

Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) corporators on Friday kept up the pressure on authorities over the death of two sanitation workers while cleaning a sewer in Sadatganj area on Tuesday, even as they demanded action against the private agency that was given the contract to clean sewers.

Leader of opposition in LMC house Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’ slammed the authorities for not taking any action against the agency responsible for sending two labourers inside the sewer without any safety equipment. He said, “Despite getting Rs 7 crore per month for cleaning sewers, the agency was pushing its sewer workers inside sewer chambers without safety equipment. I have been told that the general manager of Jal Sansthan has asked officials of the company to explain where the money for safety equipment has gone. The company has been asked to explain the reason behind the laxity, which cost human lives. Besides this, there is no concrete action taken against the officials responsible for the incident.”

Another corporator Girish Mishra said, “The agency given the sewer cleaning work was not performing the task properly and also not following norms.”

However, municipal commissioner Ajay Dwivedi said, “An inquiry was on, and people responsible for the deaths will be proceeded against.” He said an FIR had already been lodged.

Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia has taken a serious note of the incident. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak had met the family members of the deceased sanitation workers and promised job to one family member each, besides giving compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the dependents.

The mayor said, “I have already instructed the LMC to clean sewer and nullahs in a mechanised way. Now on, no human being will be asked to get inside sewer lines without safety equipment, especially oxygen cylinders.” She has also asked authorities to revisit the contract of the agency responsible for cleaning sewers that had got the contract two years ago.