While the central government proclaims that no deaths due to manual scavenging have occurred in the past five years, contradictory data from the Safai Karmachari Andolan – an organization to eliminate manual scavenging, shows otherwise. Between 2016 and 2020, 472 manual scavenging deaths were reported nationwide, and an additional 26 in 2021.
The right to a dignified life, protected by Article 21 of our Constitution, extends to every individual regardless of their citizenship status. Yet, the scourge of manual scavenging continues to persist and violate this right at its core.
Understanding Manual Scavenging
Manual scavenging is characterized as the removal of human waste from public streets, dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters, and sewers. Despite legislations against this practice, it continues to thrive due to a variety of socio-economic factors.
Reasons for Prevalence
Several reasons contribute to the persistence of this harmful and demeaning practice:
Indifferent Attitude:
Many state governments show a reluctance to acknowledge the presence of manual scavenging within their jurisdiction.
Issues due to Outsourcing:
Often, local bodies outsource sewer cleaning tasks to private contractors who neglect to maintain proper employment records. This leads to instances where workers are denied their association when they face fatal accidents.
Social Issue:
Class, caste, and income divides govern the practice. It is intrinsically connected to India’s caste system, where those belonging to the so-called lower castes are expected to carry out these degrading tasks.
Legislation and Steps Taken
Over the years, several measures have been undertaken at legal and societal levels to combat manual scavenging.
The 1993 Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines Prohibition Act banned the employment of people as manual scavengers. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013 expanded the scope by prohibiting all manual cleaning of insanitary latrines, open drains, or pits.
The Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2020, which encourages states to mechanize sewer-cleaning. The ‘Swachhta Abhiyan App’ has also been developed to identify and geotag the data of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers to rehabilitate them.
Way Forward
There is a clear need for proper identification and enumeration of workers involved in these practices.
Empowering local administrations to use funds available for smart cities and urban development could help address this problem more effectively.
Addressing social sanction behind manual scavenging requires understanding its roots in the caste system. A more stringent law creating statutory obligations for state agencies to provide sanitation services can further protect rights of these workers.
It is essential to emphasize that every life matters and the practice of manual scavenging stands in gross violation of human rights and dignity. Therefore, concerted efforts from government, society as well as individuals is needed to completely eliminate this demeaning practice.