Making people manually clean septic tanks is criminal – DC

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 9, 2011: Following a tragic incident in which a labourer called Kitta Koraga (45) of Ullanje fell into a septic tank of a hotel in Kinnigoli and died of drowning, the DC has issued a directive that suction machines available at the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) should be used while cleaning septic tanks.

The DC also stated that making people do this work constitutes violation of the Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act 1993 and that criminal cases can be filed against those who violate this law.

The DC, the Mangalore Police commission, and the CEO of Zilla Panchayat inspected the spot and the hotel owner has been arrested. The DC’s office has also stated in a press release that the family of the victim will be amply compensated.

The DC has urged the public to borrow suction machines from MCC, municipalities, and GPs if they want to clean their septic tanks.