With an aim to stop the practice of age old manual scavenging that has claimed several innocent lives in past few years, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday flagged off a fleet of 200 sewer cleaning machines vehicles for cleaning sewage situated in narrow lane of the city.
“It is a historic day for Delhi to start this initiative that will further ensure safety and dignity of the human life. Delhi is the first state to develop this device equipped with applied technology, said Kejriwal while launching these machines in a function organised by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) at Dr Ambedkar Stadium.
Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said his Government is translating the dreams of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar in improving and ameliorating the social and economic condition of the scheduled castes and bring them in the main stream of the nation.
Lauding the efforts of the DJB, he said that the board has been able to develop the technology “Small Sewer Cleaning vehicles” and deployed it also. “The induction of these machines will help sanitation workers in maintaining the sewer line by cleaning and maintaining through technological appliances,” he said.
Rajendar Pal Gautam, Minster of SC-ST Welfare said that Delhi Government is committed to work for the upliftment of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in a better and effective manner.
Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev said that Delhi is a bunch of variegated flowers with specialties as people from all religions, castes and creed are living together and everyone has the right to live with respect and dignity. “It is really remarkable that the government has made 200 people as entrepreneurs in their own field of skill. Also, with this initiative the city has become first state to introduce this applied technology,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DJB, Anil Kumar Singh said, “Now with the introduction of these vehicles fitted with necessary equipment ensuring hydraulic, jetting, grabbing and roding work, the DJB will be able to ensure cleaning of sewage in narrow lanes in Delhi”.
“This small cleaning machine will ensure cleaning the main holes of 30 feet deep and can take the silt, slug and other waste out of the main hole to the trolley,” he said.
It may be noted that the DJB had approved the “Delhi Water Board Septage Management Regulations 2018 to eliminate the practice of manual cleaning of sewer lines completely and to ensure proper disposal of septage, Last year 10 sanitation workers had died in the city while cleaning sewers in separate incidents.
Taking cognisance of the unfortunate deaths, the Chief Minister had directed DJB to but these machines at the earliest, an official added.