Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) addresses a question regarding the mechanization of sewer cleaning operations across municipal bodies. Sanitation is a state subject, with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) responsible for sanitation projects. MoHUA supports these efforts through policy, financial aid, technical support, and guidelines, including the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBMU) 2.0, which includes a component for used water management and eradication of hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks.
Key Points / Main Content:
Constitutional and Administrative Framework:
* Sanitation is a State subject under the 7th schedule of the Constitution.
* ULBs are responsible for planning, designing, executing, and operating sanitation projects.
* MoHUA supports States/UTs with policy, finance, and technical assistance.
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBMU) 2.0:
* Includes Used Water Management (UWM) to eliminate hazardous sewer entry and manual scavenging.
* Central share funds released to ULBs with populations under 1 lakh for:
* Procuring septic tank desludging equipment.
* Setting up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs)/Fecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs).
* Laying Interception and Diversion (I&D) structures.
* Government of India has allocated ₹15926.55 crores under UWM component of SBMU 2.0 as central share assistance for States/UTs, out of which action plan worth ₹13699.40 crores of central share have been approved so far.
Advisories and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs):
* MoHUA issued advisory on Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU) to institutionalize safety practices.
* MoHUA issued SOP for mechanical and manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, including training modules for sanitary workers.
Private Sector Engagement:
* MoHUA issued Model Empanelment and Contract documents in June 2025 to guide ULBs in engaging Private Sanitation Service Operators (PSSOs).
* Framework establishes legal and operational guidelines for safe, mechanized services, aligned with the PEMSR Act, 2013.
* Sets terms for penalties, termination, and blacklisting of operators violating safety protocols.
Digitalization:
* MoHUA promotes digitalization of desludging services to professionalize services, optimize STPFSTP utilization, and ensure safe disposal.
* UPYOG platform offers a Desludging Service/Faecal Sludge Management digital module for States/UTs.
Impact Analysis:
States/Union Territories:
* Impact: Responsible for the planning, design, execution, and operation of sanitation projects.
* Action Required: Utilize MoHUA's policies, financial support, and technical guidance to improve sanitation practices. Implement UWM under SBMU 2.0.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs):
* Impact: Frontline implementers of sanitation projects, responsible for ensuring safe and mechanized sewer cleaning.
* Action Required: Procure necessary equipment, set up treatment plants, and follow MoHUA's advisories and SOPs. Engage with PSSOs using MoHUA's model documents. Digitalize desludging processes via the UPYOG platform.
Sanitation Workers:
* Impact: Aims to eliminate hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks.
* Action Required: Participate in training programs on safe sewer and septic tank cleaning.
Private Sanitation Service Operators (PSSOs):
* Impact: Opportunity to provide mechanized sewer cleaning services to ULBs.
* Action Required: Adhere to the PEMSR Act, 2013, and the terms outlined in MoHUA's Model Empanelment and Contract documents to ensure safe and compliant operations.
Key Entities Referenced
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban SBMU 2.0: A government initiative launched on October 1, 2021, which includes a component for Used Water Management (UWM) aimed at eradicating hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks and eliminating manual scavenging through mechanization.
Used Water Management UWM: A component of SBMU 2.0 focused on the treatment of used water, including setting up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Fecal Sludge Treatment plants (FSTP), and laying Interception and Diversion (ID) structures.
Sewage Treatment PlantsSTPs STPcum Fecal Sludge Treatment plants FSTP: Infrastructure projects for used water treatment
Urban Local Bodies ULBs: Local governmental bodies in urban areas responsible for planning, designing, executing, and operating sanitation projects.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs MoHUA: The central government ministry responsible for providing policy directions, financial and technical support to States/UTs for urban development, including sanitation.
Emergency Response Sanitation Unit ERSU: A framework advised by MoHUA to institutionalize safety practices and mitigate the dangers of manual cleaning of sewers.
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation PEMSR Act, 2013: Legislation aimed at eliminating manual scavenging and rehabilitating those affected.
National Urban Digital Mission: A MoHUA initiative utilizing the Urban Platform for Delivery of Online Governance (UPYOG) to digitalize desludging services across urban areas.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4674
TO BE ANSWERED ON AUGUST 21, 2025
MECHANISATION OF SEWER CLEANING OPERATIONS
NO. 4674 DR. M P ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI:
Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has mandated mechanised sewer cleaning across
all municipal bodies and if so, the details thereof along with the
implementation status and other challenges faced, State/UT-wise;
(b) whether a recent audit has found that mechanised equipment was provided
in only two out of fifty-four fatal cases; and
(c) if so, the details of directions, if any, issued to municipal bodies for
mandatory mechanisation of sewer cleaning and the steps taken/being
taken to eliminate manual sewer entry and expedite full mechanisation?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)
(a) to (c) : Sanitation is a State subject under 7th schedule of the
Constitution and by the 74th amendment of the Constitution of India the
devolution of power has been made to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for
water and sanitation services. It is the responsibility of State/ULBs to plan,
design, execute and operate sanitation projects in the urban areas of the
country. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) supplements the
efforts of States/UTs by providing policy directions, financial and technical
support by sharing Manuals/Standard of Procedures (SoPs) on Solid Waste
Management (SWM) & Used Water Management (UWM) and issue various
Advisories & Guidelines time to time for choosing appropriate technologies
to manage solid and liquid waste.
To support Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with treatment of used water,
Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 launched on 1st, October, 2021
includes a new component i.e. Used Water management (UWM) with one of
the objectives of eradication of hazardous entry into sewers and septic
tanks, and sustaining elimination of manual scavenging, through
mechanization of sewer and septic tank cleaning operations for which
Central share funds for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with population less than
1 lakh are released for (i) procuring septic tank desludging equipments;
…2/--2-
(ii) setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants(STPs)/ STP-cum- Fecal Sludge
Treatment plants FSTP; for used water treatment; (iii) laying Interception
and Diversion (l&D) structures including provision of pumping stations and
pumping main/gravity main upto STP, etc.
Government of India has allocated ₹15926.55 crores under UWM
component of SBM-U 2.0 as central share assistance for States/UTs, out of
which action plan worth ₹13699.40 crores of central share have been
approved so far.
Further, MoHUA has issued an advisory on Emergency Response
Sanitation Unit (ERSU) to institutionalize safety practices and put in place
frameworks to mitigate the dangers of manual cleaning of sewer which may
be accessed at https://sbmurban.org/storage/app/media/
Advisory_on_Emergency_Response_ Sanitation_Unit.pdf
MoHUA has also issued SOP containing procedure to be followed
during mechanical and manual cleaning of sewer and empty of septic tanks
along with training module for Sanitary workers on Cleaning of Sewers and
Septic Tanks which is available at https://sbmurban.org/
storage/app/media/SOP_for_Cleaning_of _Sewers_and_Septic_Tanks.pdf
Further, SBM-U, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), has
issued Model Empanelment and Contract documents in June, 2025 to guide
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in engaging Private Sanitation Service Operators
(PSSOs). This framework aims to establish clear legal and operational
guidelines for delivering safe, mechanized services in compliance with the
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation
(PEMSR) Act, 2013. It further sets the terms for penalties, termination and
blacklisting of private operators that violate the safety protocols causing
risks to the health and safety of sanitation workers and failing to perform
mechanized cleaning services under this contract.
In order to professionalize desludging services, optimise utilisation of
STP/FSTP capacities and ensure safe, efficient disposal of faecal sludge,
MoHUA is promoting digitalisation of desludging services across all urban
areas. Under MoHUA’s National Urban Digital Mission, ‘Urban Platform for
Delivery of Online Governance (UPYOG)’ platform offers ‘Desludging
Service/Faecal Sludge Management’ digital module. States/UTs can
digitalize the entire desludging process through this module.
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