Metro Water Board warns pvt sewage truck owners against manual scavenging

CHENNAI: Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) has warned the private sewage truck owners against manual scavenging. A release from the department instructed all operators of private sewage trucks in Greater Chennai Corporation areas that they shall not allow people to get down inside the cesspool and they should not discharge faeces, sewage and other waste into open spaces and water bodies.

The Chennai Metro Water held an awareness camp for the owners, drivers and employees of private sewage truck operators on sewage management regulations and operational guidelines under the leadership of the Chennai Drinking Water Board Management Director at the Chennai Drinking Water Board head office.

A release from the department said that as per Section 7 of Prevention and Rehabilitation of Human Waste Disposal Operators Act 2013, no person, contractor or any company shall directly or indirectly engage or employ any person to clean cesspool in a hazardous manner. If so engaged, the person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of 2 years or to a fine of Rs 2 lakhs or both for first time offenders under Section 9 of the said Act. Second-time violators face 5 years imprisonment or a fine of Rs 5 lakh or both.

Only truck owners licensed by the Chennai Water Board in areas under the Greater Chennai Corporation are allowed to remove sewage from the cesspool. Also, lorry owners who have not obtained a license till date should apply for a license immediately. Additionally, sewage discharge should be done only at Chennai Water Board approved Sewage Treatment Plants and Sewage Pumping Stations.

The department stated that special teams have been appointed by the Chennai Drinking Water Board to inspect unlicensed trucks in areas under the Greater Chennai Corporation.

Accordingly, a fine of Rs 25,000 for the first time offenders and a fine of Rs 50,000 for the second time offenders, on those who illegally remove sewage from the cesspool, and the lorries that continue to violate the law will be seized and criminal action will be taken.

The owners have been instructed to ensure that all necessary safety equipment and devices are available in the trucks. In case of death of the employee while cleaning the cesspool, a compensation of Rs.15 lakhs should be paid to the family of the deceased by both the house owner and the truck owner. Area Engineers have been instructed to take steps to create awareness to prevent illegal dumping of sewage.