The Central Monitoring Committee, tasked with the scrutiny and evaluation of the implementation status of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, recently pointed out that several states in India are trailing in their responsibilities towards the rehabilitation of manual scavengers. While a majority of compensation for sewer deaths has been disbursed, states like Gujarat and Maharashtra are notably still on the back foot regarding the payment of said compensations.
Statistical Overview of Manual Scavenging
Since 1993, a total count of 926 deaths related to manual scavenging have been logged across the country out of which compensation is yet to be received by 172 families. According to data from the National Commission of Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018 reveal that approximately 53,598 people engaged in manual scavenging were identified, with Uttar Pradesh claiming a massive chunk of 29,923 workers. Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of deaths, but has paid compensation in all but seven of the 234 cases. On the contrary, Gujarat exhibited the highest number of cases where compensation was not given, closely trailed by Maharashtra.
Initiatives for the Elimination of Manual Scavenging
Presently, one-time cash assistance, capital aid, and skill development training are being provided to individuals identified as manual scavengers. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, aims to prohibit the employment of manual scavengers and the manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment. It also seeks to abolish the construction of unsanitary latrines and rehabilitate manual scavengers by providing them with alternative employment.
Responsibility of Implementing The Act
Each local authority, cantonment board and railway authority are accountable for surveying unsanitary latrines within their jurisdiction and are expected to build a number of sanitary community latrines. The enforcement of these mandates rests on the shoulders of the District Magistrate and local authorities.
Persistent Challenges in Manual Scavenging
| Issues | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Number of insanitary latrines requiring manual cleaning | 2.6 million |
Despite a tough legal framework against manual scavenging, it continues to persist due to governmental apathy and social biases. The presence of nearly 2.6 million unsanitary latrines that require manual cleaning is a major cause of concern. A large number of communities consider a sanitary toilet inside the house as a contaminant, and this belief is deeply rooted in the caste system. There exists a dogged presumption that people belonging to a particular caste group are destined to perform the demeaning task of emptying latrines. State governments have shown minimal interest in demolishing and rebuilding old facilities lacking sanitation or conducting an accurate census of both the latrines and the people involved in cleaning such waste.
About The National Commission of Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)
The NCSK was formed as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament known as ‘National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993’ on 12th August 1994. However, the Act lapsed in February 2004. Currently, the Commission operates as a non-statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with its tenure being extended periodically through Government Resolutions.
