The BWSSB is procuring 38 new jetting machines in August and September to keep the underground drainage clean. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board has sprung into action after the Karnataka HC rapped the board for continuing with manual scavenging and cleaning of underground drainage and manholes. The BWSSB, in its affidavit before the HC, has stated that it will end the inhuman practice by the end of August. “The board has already minimised human entry into sewerage.
The work is mainly carried out with the help of machines in close to 99% of the cases. We have been ensuring that workers do not have to enter the UGD unless it is absolutely unavoidable. In some rare case, which require human entry into sewerage, we are ensuring that they do it with proper safety gear, and in the presence of the local officials of the area. We have also enhanced the financial powers of executive engineers to engage machines for works,” said T. Venkataraju, Engineer-in-Chief, BWSSB.