Gurgaon: MCG on Wednesday suspended a junior engineer in a first case involving an official of the civic body after it made sewer-entry permits mandatory on March 12.Rahul was placed under suspension with immediate effect pending disciplinary proceedings — through an order issued by MCG —after it received a video purportedly showing unsafe sewer-cleaning practices, indicating a violation of the ban on manual scavenging.MCG officials said the clip pertained to sewer-cleaning operations in Sector 10A that allegedly showed sanitation work being carried out in violation of safety protocols and the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.In view of the “gravity of the misconduct,” the order said, the junior engineer was suspended under provisions of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 2016 while disciplinary proceedings are initiated. The JE did not respond despite repeated attempts.During the suspension period, the officer’s headquarters will remain fixed at the office of the MCG chief engineer and he has been directed not to leave headquarters without prior permission. He will also be entitled to subsistence allowance as per Haryana govt rules.Officials said the clip prima facie suggested violations of these norms, indicating “engagement in unsafe and prohibited practices during sewer-cleaning operations”. The order said the engineer “failed” to ensure compliance with statutory provisions, standard operating procedures and safety protocols “mandated for sewer and drain-cleaning operations”. MCG officials observed that the incident pointed to “gross negligence, dereliction of duty and serious misconduct,” potentially endangering the lives of sanitation workers.The order said that earlier instructions were issued by MCG directing strict compliance with safety guidelines and procedures prescribed by the ministry of housing and urban affairs and the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation for sewer-cleaning work.These guidelines require sanitation workers to use prescribed personal protective equipment (PPE), follow pre-entry safety checks and obtain permission before entering confined spaces, ensure gas detection and ventilation measures, maintain emergency rescue protocols and rely on mechanised equipment instead of manual cleaning.According to the MCG order issued earlier —no one, including private organisations, contractors and individuals —is allowed to enter sewers without prior approval from the newly constituted Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA).The RSA, which is headed by the MCG chief engineer, regulates sewer work across the city and issues the mandatory permits. The authority has to ensure that no person enters a sewer without protective equipment and approved safety protocols. The order also established emergency response sanitation unit (ERSU), an operational wing designed to act as a rapid-response team for sewer emergencies. ERSU will respond to incidents such as sewer blockages, overflows and accidents, functioning like a “fire brigade for sewers,” according to the order.
