For the first time, nearly 4,000 sanitation workers involved in manual scavenging across Delhi will receive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits in preparation for the upcoming monsoon season. This significant move is part of the Centre’s ‘Namaste’ (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme, introduced in 2023-24, which aims to improve the working conditions, safety, and overall welfare of sanitation workers, particularly those involved in hazardous tasks like cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
The PPE kits are set to include 42 safety components, such as gas protection masks, gumboots, gloves, barrier creams, protective clothing, and helmets with attached lights — all tailored to shield workers from toxic gases and skin-related hazards.
Delhi’s Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh, in a statement to PTI, confirmed that distribution will be completed before the monsoon sets in. “The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon,” the minister emphasized.
To further safeguard the health of these workers, Singh has instructed departments to ensure all manual scavengers are enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. He also urged officials to accelerate skill training and rehabilitation initiatives and called for the swift establishment of Emergency Response Sanitation Units to provide immediate assistance when needed.
Additionally, district magistrates have been directed to resolve all pending compensation claims related to deaths caused by sewer or septic tank accidents within a fixed timeline.
While the move is being seen as a step forward, social activist Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, expressed reservations about the long-term impact of the initiative. “This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers,” he stated. Highlighting a fundamental issue, Wilson added, “Instead of sending humans into toxic manholes, the government should focus on introducing machines to clean them.”
Wilson also cited alarming statistics, noting that manual scavenging claimed 102 lives in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 already in 2025 — with four deaths reported in Delhi alone this year. He further raised concerns regarding the initiative’s compliance with the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which outlawed manual scavenging nationwide.
As the government ramps up efforts to protect sanitation workers, concerns remain about whether safety gear alone is enough — or if the solution lies in ending the practice altogether through full mechanization.
