Punjab Newsline | Mohali

Twelve sanitation workers in Punjab have died during hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning operations over the past five-and-a-half years, according to data presented by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Lok Sabha.

The ministry clarified that these deaths have not been directly classified as deaths caused by manual scavenging.

According to data received from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, 332 sanitation workers died across India while carrying out hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks between January 1, 2021, and June 30, 2026.

Maharashtra recorded the highest number of such deaths at 58, followed by Haryana with 47, Tamil Nadu with 38, Uttar Pradesh with 37, Delhi with 29, Gujarat with 27 and Rajasthan with 23.

Punjab reported 12 deaths, the same as Karnataka. Telangana recorded nine deaths, while Andhra Pradesh reported five. Three deaths were recorded in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, two each in Bihar and Odisha, and one each in Goa and Jharkhand.

The ministry also said that surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018 had identified 58,098 manual scavengers across the country, including 231 in Punjab.

A fresh survey was conducted across all districts in 2024-25. However, according to the government's response in Parliament, no manual scavengers were identified in the latest survey.