Jaipur, Oct 22 (IANS): Three manual scavengers on Tuesday died of inhaling toxic gas while cleaning sewage tanks in Rajasthan’s Sikar in Fatehpur town.

An official said that a manual scavenger went 20 feet deep to clean a sewage tank and fainted.

“Two of his companions went inside to rescue him but they also fainted after inhaling toxic gas. All three of them were taken out by a police team and were rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared them dead,” he said.

He said that the accident took place in the Sardarpura area of Fatehpur in Sikar at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday.

On receiving information about the accident, police and regional MLA Hakeem Ali Khan, and others reached the spot.

Pradeep Hatwal, a neighbour of a labourer, said that the labourers who lost their lives in the accident were Sajjan (30), Mukesh (35) and Mahendra (38).

Under the Manual Scavenging Act 2013, it is completely illegal to send any person down for sewer cleaning in the country. There is a provision that if under special circumstances, employees are sent down into the chamber for sewage cleaning, then certain rules will have to be strictly followed.

The employee should be insured, he should undertake the work under the directions of a supervisor and should have written permission of the task undertaken.

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013) came into effect on December 6, 2013, which prohibits manual scavenging.