New Delhi: The Allahabad high court, on Tuesday, June 7, directed the Uttar Pradesh government to publish a one-page pamphlet detailing all the rights and entitlements afforded to sanitation workers and hand over the same to these workers, as well as publish the pamphlet in newspapers.The order came from a bench of Justices Chandra Kumar Rai and Manoj Kumar Gupta while hearing a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which the court had undertaken in May after taking note of a May 24 news item highlighting the plight of sanitation workers.The news item had shown persons employed either by the local Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation) or by contractors, cleaning open dreams without any machines or protective equipment. Thereafter, on May 26, the court had issued notice to a number of state authorities. During the June 7 hearing, the additional advocate general, appearing on behalf of the state of Uttar Pradesh, submitted to the court that instructions had been issued to all local bodies in the state directing them to comply with the established standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cleaning sewers and septic tanks, Live Law reported.Further, the additional advocate general stressed three points in particular: life insurance of workers engaged in hazardous cleaning; a complaint redressal system and helpline number; and the creation of a Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA) and Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU) in every urban area.In an earlier hearing, the court had asked the advocate representing the Nagar Nigam why the sanitation workers in the photographs submitted to the court were not wearing protective equipment or using machines. Thus, in the present hearing, the court was informed that in Prayagraj, 202 drains are cleaned with the help of machines.The state’s lawyers also noted that contractors have been warned of strict action that will be taken against them if they allow any of their workers to enter drains without wearing protective equipment, In response, the court noted that while a lot of work had been done on paper, these benefits of all the schemes and procedures put in place were not making their way to the intended beneficiaries; that is, the sanitation workers.Directing the respondents to take concrete actions to implement the procedures in order to have a discernible impact on the lives of sanitation workers, the court said the following:“One effective way of ensuring the implementation of any welfare scheme is to educate the beneficiary of his rights and entitlements. We believe that the SOPs and other beneficial schemes framed by the government will not serve their objectives unless the workers are educated of their rights and entitlements. We, therefore, require the respondents to prepare a brief, one-page pamphlet specifying the rights and entitlements of sanitary workers. It should thereafter be widely publicised in newspapers, on the notice board of the local body and other mediums of mass communication. Each and every sanitary worker should be handed over a preprinted pamphlet listing their rights and entitlements. A copy of said pamphlet shall be placed on record for our perusal in due course.”Further, the court ordered the Nagar Nigam to set up a distinct portal where citizens can upload pictures to “highlight the plight of sanitation workers” and ensure that the details of said portal be made public by issuing advertisements in newspapers and online portals. Directing the state government to file an affidavit to detail further measures taken by the concerned officer, the court listed the matter for further hearing on June 13.