Noida: A sanitation worker died while cleaning a sewer in Gheja village, located in the Phase-2 police station area, on Tuesday. A preliminary inquiry suggests that he died due to inhaling toxic gases or oxygen depletion. Police are now probing whether the mandatory safety protocols were followed by the contractor.Police said the work was a part of a maintenance drive by Noida Authority. During the operation, the worker, Shiva, entered the sewer to clear a blockage. When he failed to come out after some time, fellow workers suspected something had gone wrong and attempted to rescue him, but he got caught in the wires inside the manhole.His family claimed that about 90 minutes later, a joint team of police and the fire department pulled him out of the manhole, but he was declared dead at the hospital. The cops said the cause of death will be confirmed after an autopsy.Police are verifying if he was provided with essential protective equipment, including an oxygen supply, gas detector, safety harness, helmet, gloves, boots and face mask. They are also checking whether a trained supervisor and an emergency rescue team were present at the site, as required under safety norms.The Authority has claimed that he was equipped with a safety belt, oxygen mask and other safety gear. “When the field staff attempted to pull him out after some time, he got entangled in wires present inside the manhole,” said a statement by the Authority. “The work was being executed by contractor Shivji Constructions Co… the Authority has initiated proceedings to file a criminal case against the contractor and issue a notice for blacklisting them. Additionally, action has been taken to terminate the services of the concerned junior engineer, issue an adverse entry against the manager, and serve a show-cause notice to the senior manager.” The Authority has also promised assistance to his family.The worker’s family has accused the contractor responsible for the sewer-cleaning work of negligence. Shiva’s brother Ritik said he would file a complaint against the contractor. He questioned the Authority on why they relied on manual scavenging despite possessing world-class equipment for carrying out the cleaning.The family members alleged that no senior official from the Authority went to the spot and claimed that Shiva remained inside the sewer for nearly one and a half hours. Timely efforts could have increased his chances of survival, they said, demanding an investigation.A large number of relatives gathered at the district hospital after the body was brought there for post-mortem. Police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. Shiva is survived by his wife and a son.Experts say sewer systems often contain hazardous gases such as methane, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide. Exposure to these gases in confined spaces can make a person fall unconscious within minutes and can prove fatal if not rescued immediately. They stress that no worker should enter a sewer without prior gas testing, adequate ventilation and protective equipment.Noida has witnessed similar tragedies in the past. In July 2023, two workers died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewer tank in a residential society in Sector 137. Another worker was seriously affected in the same incident. In Sept 2021, a sanitation worker died during sewer cleaning in Sector 62, where investigators flagged inadequate safety arrangements.
