Anti-joy Liberation Projects:

Emancipation and rehabilitation of Sewer workers:

PROJECT TITLE - Development of ‘Sewer Blockage Locator’ Equipment

PROJECT VISION - Eliminate “Human beings from entering sewer manholes to clear blockages

PROJECT MISSION - Develop a mechanized hydraulic assisted device to locate the blockage point and take the jet-rod nozzle and place it at the blockage position and then shoot the water jet. Thereby, eliminating the inhuman and dangerous work of deploying human beings, by the Drainage Boards, to enter sewage filled manholes for clearing the blockage.

Sewer Cleaning workers can stop entering sewer drains for clearing blockages even by using a jet rod machine; since the jet rod machine nozzle as to be taken and placed exactly at the point of blockage; then the jet rod of water will be directed at that spot to blast away the blockage. For guiding the Jet rod Machine nozzle to the place of blockage in the sewer this ‘Sewer Blockage Locator and Guide - Hydraulic Telescopic Actuator (SBLG-HTA) Services’ will be of great benefit.

OBJECTIVES - To eliminate the undignified form of livelihood of humans entering putrid sewer manholes

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT – Manual scavenging is highly prevalent in India which is normally done by lower caste Dalits. It is work that is considered highly unethical and undignifed. Workers crawl through the sewage, wearing no protective gear. Manual scavenging was ruled illegal in 2013, but private contractors hired by the municipal government continue to employ them. Hundreds reportedly die from the work each year. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, an educational and research organization, found that 80% of the workers die before age 60 because of work-related health problems.

Dharamani Kale, a sewage cleaner says, "I have never been to school. But I want my kids to be educated. Therefore, I have to do various small jobs and this is one of them.” Another sewage cleaner, Manu Pawar says that broken bottles lurk in the pitch-black sewer system due to which his legs are covered with scars and cuts. Even though it is banned, manual scavenging still exists. Most of the sewage cleaning has been replaced with modern machines, but the task of going down in order to locate the blockage and guide the jet rodding nozzle, is still being done by humans.

India is a technology giant and has the tremendous technology that is required to deploy satellites in space. Scientists and technologists are aplenty, however not many have taken on the mission to develop a device to locate sewage blockages, that also guides the jet rodding nozzle (without having a human being having to descend into the sewer manhole). Alas, emancipation of our fellow citizens from such degrading work has not been a priority.

INTERVENTION STRATEGY – The main strategy is to promote the usage of this Sewer Blockage Locator and Guide r: (Please Refer attached illustration) The Targeted Sector are The Sewage Board in Chennai and all across India. The expected Impact is to emancipate the sewage cleaners from diving into sewers; and prevent dehumanizing them.

The first step in getting this project started is the development of the prototype SBLG The design of the same is ready. And a suitable contractor has been identified to build the prototype and has submitted a manufacturing drawing for the same. The cost to develop the prototype is Rs 6.5 lakhs (Rupees six lakhs fifty thousand) Now the required funds to manufacture the prototype needs to be raised and for this the crowd funding platform www.startsomegood.com is being approached.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MODEL: The SBLG-HTA equipment will be owned and operated by a 2 member team will be equipped to use this equipment and also maintain the same. Once the prototype is completed, it will be demonstrated to the sewage board authorities so that they can avail the services of SBLG, the services of which will come with an operator. To ensure maintenance of SBLG equipment this service is offered as a social entrepreneurial one.

Chennai Metro Water and Sewage Board has 200 divisions to cover Chennai city and each has a jet rodding machine and are called to attend to removing more than 2 sewer blockages a day. Therefore each of the divisions need to have a SBLG to go along with the jet-rodding machine with an operator and assistant; who will locate and guide the jet rodding machine nozzle to position; the opportunity of SBLG is big! People Planet Caretakers (PPC) in collaboration with Joy Mission has taken on the assignment to bring relief to the manual scavengers (whose services are utilized to dive into sewers) by working on developing . The basic design SBLG was done by IIT M and this was improved with other technical specialists.