Observing that there were some lacunae in the appointment orders issued to legal heirs of manual scavengers (who died while performing duties), Telangana High Court had directed the State government to modify the orders.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili passed the direction while hearing suo motu a PIL petition based on a newspaper report over death of two persons while cleaning a septic tank in Kondapur last year. Earlier, the bench sought several details like the number of persons engaged for manual scavenging in the State, the rehabilitation measures for them and benefits extended to the kith and kin of manual scavengers in the event of the latter’s death while performing duties.
In response to the points raised by the HC, the government furnished some details including appointment letters issued to legal heirs of manual scavengers who died while cleaning clogged drains or tanks. Perusing one of the appointment letters issued by the HMDA authorities, the CJ expressed concern over conditions imposed in the appointment letters.
The letter issued by the government stated that the ‘services (of those being appointed) can be terminated without assigning any reason’. It was unfortunate that family members of the workers who died while executing the work they were assigned were being subjected to conditions. Such conditions were unwarranted, the bench said.
Expressing displeasure over the conditions imposed in the job offer letters, the bench told counsel of the HMDA and GHMC that government should change its mindset while extending benefits to family members of workers who die while discharging their duties. Usage of the words like ‘termination of service without any reason’ speaks about the negative attitude of the government in the matter.
The bench directed the HMDA and GHMC authorities to furnish details of the compensation paid to legal heirs of such workers along with the modified appointment orders. The matter was posted to June 6 for next hearing.
