400 died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks since 2017: Govt

As many as 400 people have died while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks since 2017, the government said on Tuesday.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said no death has been reported due to engaging in manual scavenging.

''However, 233 persons have died due to accidents while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks during the last three years and current year,'' he said in a written response.

He gave data of number of such deaths recorded since 2017.

According to the data, 48 such deaths were recorded in 2022, 49 in 2021, 19 in 2020, 117 in 2019, 67 in 2018 and 100 in 2017.