Savanur Taluk Hospital Medical Officer and Nurse Suspended Over Manual Sewage Cleaning Allegations

Tension and public debate unfolded in Savanur taluk of Haveri district after two healthcare officials from the Savanur Taluk Public Hospital were placed under suspension following reports and viral videos alleging manual handling of human waste at the medical facility. The suspended personnel include Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shankar Hiregoudar and Senior Staff Nurse Vanitha. The controversy emerged when an overflowing sewage tank on the hospital premises was reportedly cleared unsafely and manually instead of using mechanized waste management equipment. The incident triggered widespread public anger across the taluk and led health department authorities to take swift administrative action against the responsible staff. Additionally, law enforcement authorities registered a case under relevant provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, to investigate accountability. However, the administrative action also sparked local reactions in Savanur town. A section of local residents and civic activists gathered in front of the Revenue Department office in Savanur to stage a symbolic protest. Protesters argued that Dr. Hiregoudar was suspended hastily without a thorough and impartial inquiry into the hospital's operational constraints. They submitted a official memorandum to the local administration demanding a fair investigation, highlighting how the sudden absence of senior medical officers adversely impacts healthcare services for rural patients depending on the taluk hospital.