Manual Scavenging is a present-day human rights issue confronting India. This article will delve into its prevalence, the governmental schemes related to it, and ongoing efforts to eliminate it.
Manual Scavenging: An Overview
The term ‘manual scavenging’ refers to the removal of human excrement from public streets, dry latrines, septic tanks, gutters, and sewers. Despite Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the Right to Life with dignity to both citizens and non-citizens, manual scavenging remains a prevalent issue. This act violates these constitutional rights, endangering the lives of those involved in such practices.
Grave Concern: Deaths due to Manual Scavenging
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment recently reported to the Lok Sabha that manual scavenging led to 22 deaths in 2021 so far. Furthermore, data from the Safai Karmachari Andolan, a movement aimed at eradicating manual scavenging, stated that there were 472 such deaths nationwide between 2016 and 2020.
The Root Causes: Why does Manual Scavenging persist?
The persistence of manual scavenging is driven primarily by an indifferent attitude, issues due to outsourcing, and social issues. State governments often overlook the prevalence of this practice. Local bodies outsourcing sewer cleaning tasks to private contractors also contribute to the problem as these contractors lack adequate worker management, often denying association when workers suffer fatalities during work. Additionally, India’s caste, class, and income divides perpetuate the practice, with individuals from lower castes usually forced to engage in these activities.
Governmental Interventions: Steps towards Eradication
Numerous legislative and policy measures have been introduced to prohibit manual scavenging and ensure rehabilitation for these workers. These include the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the National Commission of Safai Karamcharis. Notable campaigns such as the Swachh Bharat Mission have also been launched to clean the nation’s streets and social infrastructure. The government proposed an amendment in 2020, aiming to completely mechanise sewer cleaning, introduce ‘on-site’ protection measures, and provide compensation for sewer deaths.
Innovative Solutions: Technological Interventions and Challenges
Technological solutions like the ‘Swachhta Abhiyan App’ have been developed to identify, geotag and replace insanitary latrines with sanitary ones, intending to rehabilitate manual scavengers. Similarly, the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge was launched in 2020 to encourage states to mechanise sewer-cleaning by April 2021.
Legal Recourses: A Need for Stringent Laws
There is a need for stringent laws and proper identification of workers engaged in toxic sludge cleaning. Empowering local administration with funds for addressing the problem could help eliminate the practice. Meanwhile, social sensitisation may tackle the caste system’s social sanction behind manual scavenging. If a law creates a statutory obligation for state agencies to provide sanitation services, workers’ rights might be upheld better.
Compensations and Legal Rights: Supreme Court’s Judgements
In 2014, the Supreme Court ordered the government to identify those who died working in sewers since 1993 and provide their families with a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each. Such a directive underscores the urgency of the situation and demonstrates the government’s responsibility towards safeguarding the workers’ wellbeing.
This article was sourced from TH.
