India Reports 859 Sanitation Worker Deaths from 2014 to 2025
India has recorded 859 sanitation worker deaths in jobs involving sewers and septic tanks from 2014 to 2025, according to data from Parliament and the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis. In a recent incident, four workers died in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, while cleaning a hotel’s food-waste chamber. The figures highlight ongoing risks despite legislation and government programmes aimed at improving safety. The Supreme Court has mandated stricter regulations and increased compensation to ₹30 lakh per worker for deaths. However, violations of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 persist, with private contractors often hiring undocumented workers. The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem scheme has faced challenges, indicating a gap between policy aims and actual outcomes in worker safety.
Published 2 days ago • 06 Nov 2026, 01:36 AM IST