Workers clear drains without adequate safety gear in Chennai

Workers engaged in clearing silt from stormwater drains and catch pits across Chennai, have been seen working without gloves and other protective equipment. Union representatives and workers have raised concerns over the availability and use of safety gear during the Northeast monsoon.

The concern comes in the wake of the deaths of two workers who allegedly inhaled toxic gas while cleaning GCC’s 20-foot-deep stormwater drainage sump in Kodungaiyur on October 12, 2026.

The workers did not wear safety gear while entering the drains, according to officials. This was even after GCC assured that it would distribute anti-cut nitrile-dipped cotton gloves, washing and bathing soaps, leather flip flops, polyester raincoats, and a pair of PVC gum boots to workers in 2024.

Anand Kumar, president of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) (Tamil Nadu unit), said gloves and masks had not been supplied regularly for the past three to four months. “Many have faced minor and severe cuts, skin-related diseases, wheezing and other illnesses due to lack of proper safety gear. We have submitted several letters and have been assured that the issue will be addressed, but it remains unresolved,” he said. He added that the union planned to raise the issue with the Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S Sameeran and senior health officials.

Lakshmi, a conservancy worker in Perambur constituency, said contractual workers were paid daily wages to clean the drains and silt catch pits. “They do the work even without safety gear even though it is a risk, as they have to meet livelihood expenses. Conservancy workers, on the other hand, are provided with uniforms, but the quality of gloves was a concern,” she added.

“The gloves get wet quickly and begin to tear. Workers cannot continue wearing them through their shifts. Booths are rarely provided,” she said, adding that replacements were not always readily available.

She said workers sometimes fell ill after working in the rain and needed medical attention, but daily-wage workers were reluctant to take leave or get checked because missing work meant losing a day’s wages.

Varun (name Changed), a Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) worker, said safety gear was provided, but some workers did not use it due to inconvenience. Raincoats need to be provided as well, he added.

Notably, in 2023, a special Division Bench of Justices of Madras High Court stated that the ban on manual scavenging equally applies to manual waste segregation.

M. Radhakrishnan, General Secretary of Sanitary Workers State Federation, said the organisation has repeatedly asked the civic body to consult workers and to rope in experts from IIT-Madras to design more convenient safety gear, but this has not been done.

Mani (name changed), a contract worker engaged in clearing silt from catch pits in Royapuram Zone, said the gloves and shoes provided to workers were uncomfortable when reaching into the pits to remove weeds and other waste. Workers often wore inexpensive, everyday slippers instead, he said. They also used brooms to clear clogs in stormwater drains. The dirty water stained their feet and left a foul smell that persisted even after bathing, he said, adding that workers continued with the job to earn a living.

The concern extends to Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs), some of whom wear only waistcoats while handling waste. Workers and union representatives said the availability, quality and regular replacement of protective equipment remained concerns.

Meanwhile, Thrisha, a transgender conservancy worker in Tiruvottiyur Zone, said the company handling solid waste management had raised awareness about wearing safety gear. “I am responsible for distributing gloves, masks and shoes to workers. The company provides replacements when requested,” she said.

N. Shanthakumari, chairperson of the Ward 81 Health Committee, said sewage mixes with stormwater inlets and drains, particularly in the monsoon season. This meant workers were often required to clear silt and waste contaminated with sewage manually, which is similar to manual scavenging that is illegal, she noted.

She said workers who clear silt and sewage-contaminated waste without gloves risk exposure through their hands and face, apart from the dirt accumulating under their fingernails.

She noted that this has been a repetitive issue. “I will raise this issue in the upcoming council meeting,” she added.