Kin of manual scavenging victims given Rs 10L each

According to a statement from Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metro Water), Commission member Jagadish Hiremani visited the city to hand over the solatium and to inquire about the death of the workers. On January 20, two workers lost their lives while cleaning a septic tank in Jaswant Nagar in Mogappair. Similarly, on November 12, a worker had died in Express Avenue mall. “Even though a solatium of Rs 14 lakh was given to the families of the victims, Hiremani had directed to provide additional solatium of Rs 10 Lakh each,” it said.

Apart from this, the commission member also directed the management of the mall to provide job to one of the family members of the victim. During a review meeting with the Commission, the Metro Water had claimed that the deceased workers were not the employees of the Metro Water and said that the sewage removal works were done using machines. Contractors were responsible for the deaths, the water manager explained to the Commission.

“The member also instructed the Metro Water and Greater Chennai Corporation to create awareness among the workers and take measures to prevent deaths in future,” the press release added.