PUDUCHERRY – 14 Nov, 2026 The journey of Ramasamy (name changed), a 56-year-old sanitation worker belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community, employed with Oulgaret Municipality in Puducherry, reflects the role of targeted interventions in addressing occupational risks and improving the livelihoods of sanitation workers.
Through the NAMASTE Scheme, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment continues to promote safer working conditions, social security and dignified livelihoods, contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable and mechanised sanitation ecosystem.
Ensuring safe working conditions, occupational health and dignified livelihoods for sanitation workers, is an important step towards building an inclusive and sustainable sanitation ecosystem.
The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment seeks to strengthen the safety, dignity and socio-economic well-being of sanitation workers through access to protective equipment, safety training and institutional support.
For several years, Ramasamy worked as a sewer and septic tank cleaner, often without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), exposing himself to occupational hazards and associated health risks.