Two days have passed since thee young sanitation workers lost their lives inside a sewerage tank at a Ramakrishna hospital in Raipur, but for their families, time has stood still. On Thursday, as the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis began its probe into the tragedy and police finally booked the contractor, the relatives sat huddled in their homes at Bhatagaon colony in Raipur, still struggling to come to terms with what happened.
It was around 4 pm on March 17 when Anmol Manjhi, Govind Sendre and Satyam Kumar climbed down a sewerage tank in Ramakrishna Care Hospital near Pachpedi Naka. They were there to clean it. Minutes later, all three were unconscious, overcome by toxic gases that had filled the chamber. A fourth worker who had gone in with them was pulled out in time but remains in serious condition.
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By evening, three families had lost their breadwinners. “What safety? Show me one thing they were given before sending them in. No mask, no gas detector, nothing. Just asked to go and do the job. And now they are gone,” said an elderly relative of one of the deceased, sitting outside the hospital on Thursday as officials came and went.
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The initial outrage outside the hospital gates has now given way to a more complex scenario involving multiple agencies, political reactions and administrative action.
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel was among the first to react politically. He expressed grief and demanded strict action against culprits. “This is clearly negligence and those responsible should not be spared,” he said in a statement.
Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai expressed grief and issued a set of directives aimed at preventing such deaths in future. He made it clear that manual scavenging will not be tolerated and that anyone forcing workers into such hazardous tasks will face stringent legal action. He also ordered that sewerage and septic tank cleaning be done only through municipal corporations or authorised registered agencies, and that every worker must be provided with gas detectors, oxygen support and safety kits. Regular monitoring has been ordered across all districts.
On Thursday morning, Hardeep Singh Gill, vice chairman of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, landed in Raipur. He went straight to Bhatagaon’s BSUP colony, where the families of the deceased live in cramped quarters. Sitting with them, he listened as they narrated how their sons and husbands were sent to death. From there, he visited the hospital and inspected the spot where the tragedy occurred.
Later in the day, Raipur police registered a case against the contractor under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials said if others are found guilty during investigation, they will be booked too.
The hospital management, which had remained largely silent in the initial hours after the incident, issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and announced compensation of Rs 30 lakh each to the families of the deceased. While the announcement has been noted, the families remain focused on one thing, punishment for those responsible.
“Sarkar kitna bhi muavza de de, humare bacche laut ke nahi aayenge. Par saza honi chahiye, taki kisi aur ke saath aisa na ho (The government may give any amount of compensation, our children will not come back. But there should be punishment, so that this does not happen to anyone else.),” said the mother of one of the deceased, wiping her tears as she spoke .
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis’ inquiry is now looking into whether safety norms were followed and who all were responsible. Gill is expected to submit his findings to the central government, which could lead to further action.
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