Manual scavenging, a dehumanizing practice prevalent in many parts of India, is the removal of human excrement manually from public streets, dry latrines, sewers, and gutters. Continuing despite its prohibition under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR), it remains a social stigma tied to caste, class and income divides. Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment revealed that no person had died from manual scavenging from 2019 to 2022, although 233 people succumbed to accidents during hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.
Prevalence of Manual Scavenging: Root Causes
The existence of manual scavenging is largely due to indifference and outsourced responsibilities. Despite the ban on manual scavenging in 1993, independent surveys indicate state governments’ reluctance to acknowledge the prevailing practice. In many instances, local bodies assign sewer cleaning tasks to private contractors, who often ignore the safety of sanitation workers. This results in several cases of workers dying from asphyxiation, with contractors denying any association with the deceased. Another contributing factor is the deep-rooted caste system which holds the lower castes responsible for such tasks.
Actions Taken Against Manual Scavenging
Several steps have been taken to eradicate manual scavenging. One such initiative is the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which aims to mechanise sewer cleaning, introduce ‘on-site’ protection, and compensate manual scavengers in case of accidents. The Building and Maintenance of Insanitary Latrines Act of 2013 also prohibits the construction or maintenance of unsanitary toilets and the employment of individuals for their manual cleaning. The Act triples down on providing alternative employment to those affected.
The Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act, 1989 acts as a safeguard for sanitation workers, enabling them to break free from traditionally assigned occupations. On World Toilet Day 2020, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge aimed at mechanising sewer cleaning by April 2021.
Modern Technological Solutions
Technological solutions, such as the Swachhta Abhiyan App, are also being used. This app helps in identifying and geotagging the data of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers, facilitating the replacement of insanitary latrines with sanitary ones and rehabilitating manual scavengers. Similarly, the NAMASTE scheme aims to eliminate unsafe sewer and septic tank cleaning practices.
A Supreme Court order in 2014 mandated the government to identify all those who died in sewage work since 1993 and provide Rs. 10 lakh each as compensation to their families.
The Road Ahead with Swachh Bharat Mission
The eradication of manual scavenging is a top priority of the Swachh Bharat Mission, highlighted by the 15th Finance Commission. To address the social sanction behind manual scavenging, it is necessary to understand how and why it continues to be embedded in the caste system. The state and society need to actively tackle this issue, exploring all available options to accurately assess and subsequently eradicate this practice.
Another notable initiative is the Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan, a national campaign launched by Jan Sahas in 2001, aimed at the eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.
Last Modified: February 20, 2024