Enduring Margins: A Socio-Economic Analysis of Sewage Workers in Delhi-NCR

Abstract

Sewage workers, primarily from marginalised Dalit communities, play a crucial role in urban sanitation by managing sewers, drains, and septic tanks under hazardous conditions. Despite ongoing modernisation efforts, many of these workers continue to engage in this dangerous occupation. This study investigates the socioeconomic conditions of sewage workers in the Delhi-NCR region, highlighting their persistent marginalisation. These workers face economic exploitation, unsafe working environments, and limited educational opportunities for their children, which exacerbates the intersection of caste and class and contributes to poverty, exclusion, and stigma. Employing a mixed-method approach, the study included semi-structured interviews and field observations with 45 sewage workers, identified through snowball and purposive sampling. This research gathered quantitative data and qualitative insights, including experiences of caste discrimination. The findings reveal dire socioeconomic conditions, low wages, inadequate access to healthcare, and systemic discrimination. The study concludes that without effective policies aimed at addressing caste discrimination and changing societal mindsets, the marginalisation of sewage workers will continue, perpetuating poverty and exploitation in Delhi-NCR.