09 May,2009 03:26 PM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
Three men died of suffocation when they were cleaning a drain at Karimsab Layout in Bangalore today.
The tragedy occurred in the afternoon when Raju, Parameshwar and Basavaraj, workers of a private company, entered a 15-foot deep manhole at Rajagopal Nagar to clear the clogged drain.
It is said that the three died of asphyxiation resulting from carbon dioxide and other noxious gases inside the manhole and lack of oxygen.
10 deaths in a year
According to the sources, around 10 workers have died of asphyxiation in manholes for the last one year in Bangalore.
Typically, underground sewers are closed for months at a time, accumulating toxics gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide and methane. The waste that flows into the sewers includes effluents from industrial units. Sewage contains large amounts of ammonia, chlorides, sulphates, and mercury besides grease and glass shards,
Unmindful of the law, and court orders, the civic agencies deploy workers to enter manholes and remove the silt and waste without providing even the basic protective gear such as gloves and gumboots, said the sources.
