Mysuru: Manual scavenging is a caste-based occupation involving the removal of untreated human excreta from bucket toilets or pit latrines, that has been officially abolished by Law in India as a dehumanising practice.

This inhuman practice still persists and the helpless Pourakarmikas are forced to enter manholes to clean them. One more such incident has come to light in Saraswathipuram near the Swimming Pool premises in the city, where a worker had been entrusted the task of cleaning a manhole.

It may be recalled that a couple of months ago in Chamundi Hill’s Tavarakatte village a Pourakarmika was forced to enter the manhole and clean it.

The works in the Swimming Pool that comes under the University of Mysore limits is in progress. An underground pipeline was being installed in this connection. During the course of the ongoing work, a worker entered the manhole to put a pipeline, it is said.

Hearing about the incident, the area Corporator and former Mayor R. Lingappa has reached the place only to find a person inside the manhole. Apart from this, the road has been dug up using a JCB.

Linganna has taken the person in charge of the work to task asking him whether he did not know that it is a crime to involve a person to enter the manhole and get the work done.

Also how he could dig up the road without permission from the Corporation.

Later, the Corporation officials were summoned to the spot and the JCB confiscated as it had damaged the road.

Lingappa told Star of Mysore that he had informed Corporation Commissioner G. Jagadeesha about the incident and asked him to take necessary action. However, Jagadish was not available for comments when he was approached by this newspaper.