Mumbai: The city civic body’s conservancy workers, the men who go down into the drains to clean sewer lines, have always lived dangerous lives, often succumbing to diseases during their prime years.

Recent health camps organised by some NGOs have found that 20 out of almost 400 conservancy workers examined by doctors were afflicted by tuberculosis. Recently, corporators of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (BMC) had discussed the health situation of its conservancy staff and the rising cases of death among them.

In fact, just three days ago, an opposition leader in the BMC, Devendra Amberkar, put forth a grim picture before the civic body after obtaining some information — that the civic body has lost 1,293 conservancy workers in the past five years, between 2009 and 2013. This means that an average of 259 deaths occurred every year or 22 men lost their lives, due to severe occupational hazards, in a month. In the five-year period between 2004 and 2008, the situation was even worse, with 1,321 deaths. Highly unhygienic conditions and exposure to raw garbage or sewers are the causes of their illnesses and early death, say health experts. The BMC has a workforce of more than 30,000 in the city, including permanent and temporary staff.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, a socio-political analyst of Observer Research Foundation, tweeted on Saturday, “It’s Mumbai’s shame that 1385 ‘safai’ workers died in the past five years.”

Earlier in October, commenting on the working conditions of conservancy workers or ‘safai karmacharis’ he noted, it was “appalling, since India has not bothered to introduce mechanisation in their work. People who perform this task have their bodies smeared with muck, and their noses filled with stench … And to make the stench go away, to make the feeling indignity go away, and to drive away the thought of helplessness and wretchedness of their lives, they surrender to their temporary saviour: alcohol … But this ‘saviour’ is a health-destroyer. Most ‘safai karmacharis’ die early.”

Against the backdrop of these hazardous working conditions, “A cluster of NGOs including Panchsheel Mahila Mandal, Athak Seva Sangh and Mahatma Gandhi Community Centre today organised health camps at the Solid Waste Management Outpost at Kamani Junction and another at the outpost located at MHADA Colony, Chandivili,” said Anil Galgali of the Athak Seva Sangh.

Doctors who examined more than 400 workers found that 20 conservancy staff members were afflicted with various stages of tuberculosis and the two who were found to be serious and were recommended to go to Sion Hospital for further treatment.

Kulkarni, whose think tank Observer Research Foundation established the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Santitation, Cleanliness and Community Health in a Mumbai slum this August, emphasised that “unless and until the importance of cleanliness is explained to every individual, the goal of complete cleanliness cannot be achieved”.

The health camps were held on the death anniversary of Sant Gadgebaba Maharaj, the original proponent of cleanliness for good health, said Galgali. He also pointed out that locals benefited from the efforts and hard work of these conservancy workers, who were pleased that the health camps were held for them.