Delhi HC Issues Notice to DDA, Police in Mundka Manual Scavenging Death Case

Two people died on 9 September, in Mundka's Bakkarwala area after they inhaled toxic gases inside a sewer.

Image of a sewer pit used for representational purposes only

(Photo Courtesy: Flickr/Altered by The Quint)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 21 September, issued notice to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Police, after taking the suo moto cognisance of two manual scavenging deaths in the national capital, earlier this month.

A sanitation worker and a security guard died on 9 September, in Mundka's Bakkarwala area after they inhaled toxic gases inside a sewer they had gone down to clean. They were identified as Rohit Chandilya aged 32, and Ashok, 30.

A division bench comprising of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad also issued notice to National Commission for Safayi Karamchaaris, reported LiveLaw.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for Delhi Jal Board (DJB) informed the bench that the area where the incident took place comes under the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and even the sanitation worker was an employee of DDA.

DJB's counsel said it was not entitled to pay compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased and the appropriate authority would be DDA.

Counsel appearing for Municipal Corporation of Delhi also made a submission that the corporation was not liable to pay the compensation, LiveLaw reported.

Senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, who was appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter, said Delhi Police and NCSK shall also be made parties to the petition.

The next hearing is scheduled to take place on 27 September.

While taking the suo moto cognisance of the case, the bench had said that “There is a Supreme Court judgement on the subject which says that the moment the death takes place of a person who is manually doing this scavenging work, the family is entitled to (certain assistance)… plus a job to one of the members of the family.”

(With inputs from LiveLaw and PTI.)