Why is it in the News?

Recently, the Supreme Court, in a judgment, said claims of fraternity, equality, and dignity among citizens remain a mere illusion if a sizeable section of society is forced to enter sewers for a living and die trapped in them even a decade after the outlawing of the inhuman practice of manual scavenging.

What is Manual Scavenging?

• The practice of manually cleaning, handling, and disposing of human excreta and other waste materials from dry latrines, open drains, and sewers is known as manual scavenging.
• Although it has been formally prohibited since 1993, manual scavenging has long been a problem in India.

Manual Scavenging in India:

• According to the 2011 Census of India, there were over 740,000 households in India where manual scavenging was still practiced.
• The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis reports that between 2016 and 2019, 482 manual scavengers lost their lives while clearing septic tanks and sewers throughout India.
• An advocacy group fighting to end manual scavenging, the Safai Karamchari Andolan, calculates that there are still roughly 1.8 million manual scavengers in India.
• Many manual scavengers suffer from a variety of health issues, including skin diseases, respiratory problems, and even death, as a result of their exposure to toxic fumes in septic tanks and sewer lines.
• From 2019 to 2022, a total of 233 people died as a result of accidents while performing hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning.
• Haryana had the most deaths (13), followed by Maharashtra (12) and Tamil Nadu (10).

Why does manual scavenging still occur frequently in India?

• Ineffective sewage management system: In India, the majority of municipalities lack the newest sewage cleaning equipment, necessitating the entry of sewage workers through manholes into the underground sewerage systems.
• However, because they are much less expensive to hire, contractors illegally hire unskilled laborers and pay them a daily wage.
• Social stratification based on caste: Manual scavenging has long been connected to India's caste system, where some castes have been marginalized and compelled to work in fields that are deemed "unclean" or "polluting."
• Manual scavenging as a source of income for these marginalized communities continues as a result of the persistence of caste-based discrimination and social stigma.
• Lack of Alternative Livelihood Opportunities: Manual scavenging is common in affected communities due to a lack of alternative employment opportunities.
• Many manual scavengers are trapped in a cycle of poverty and exclusion, with no access to education or skill development programs that could provide them with alternative means of subsistence.
• Due to a lack of economic alternatives, they must continue to engage in manual scavenging for survival.

What Are the Consequences of Manual Scavenging?

• Health Effects: Manual scavengers face significant health risks as a result of direct exposure to human waste and hazardous substances.
• They are especially vulnerable to diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and various respiratory infections.
• The lack of protective equipment and poor sanitation conditions exacerbate the health risks, leading to an increase in illnesses and premature deaths among manual scavengers.
• Dignity and Human Rights Violations: Manual scavenging is a clear violation of the individual’s dignity and human rights.
• They live in deplorable and inhumane conditions, handling human waste with their bare hands and without access to basic sanitation facilities.
• This occupation reinforces caste-based oppression by perpetuating social stigma, discrimination, and marginalization of affected communities.
• Psychological and Emotional Trauma: Manual scavenging can have serious psychological and emotional consequences for those involved.
• Their mental health suffers as a result of their constant exposure to filth, the humiliation of their work, and the discrimination they face.
• Manual scavengers frequently suffer from feelings of shame, low self-esteem, and depression, which can lead to long-term psychological trauma.

Steps Taken by Government to Reduce Manual Scavenging:

• In an effort to prevent deaths caused by hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, the government created the NAMASTE scheme or National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem.
• The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 was enacted to prohibit manual scavenging.
• The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act of 2013 was passed to strengthen the ban and provide for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers.

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013:

• It was passed in 2013 to make provisions for the banning of employment as manual scavengers and the rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their families.
• The act's main goals are to get rid of unhygienic latrines, forbid hiring manual scavengers, forbid dangerous manual cleaning of septic and sewer tanks, and keep track of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation.
• Provisions:
• No person or organization may hire or engage any person to perform manual scavenging.
• Anyone who engages in manual scavenging in violation of the provisions of the MS Act, 2013, faces imprisonment for up to two years, a fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both.
• It outlines the measures taken to help sanitation workers and their families get back on their feet.
• Following a survey of manual scavengers, the local administration must issue them with a photo identity card containing information about their family members as well as monetary compensation.
• Their children must receive a government scholarship, as well as a residential plot and the funds necessary to build on it.
• It is also illegal for a person to clean a sewer or septic tank without the employer providing protective gear and cleaning devices and following safety precautions.
• Every local authority is required by the Act to ensure that there are no insanitary latrines in its jurisdiction and that no manual scavengers are employed.
• A municipality or a panchayat is a local authority that is in charge of sanitation in its jurisdiction.
• Local governments must build community sanitary latrines (that do not require manual removal of human excreta) and make plans for their sanitary upkeep at all times.
• They must also ensure that technological appliances are used to clean sewers, septic tanks, and other similar spaces in their jurisdictions.

• Despite legal prohibitions and government efforts to eliminate manual scavenging, the practice continues in various parts of the country.

Way Forward

• Technology-Driven Solutions: Innovative tools and machinery that can take the place of manual scavenging work must be developed.
• For instance, septic tanks and sewer lines can be cleaned by automated robots, eliminating the need for human intervention in potentially dangerous situations.
• Encourage Entrepreneurship and Skill Development: There is a need to encourage affected individuals' training and skill development, allowing them to explore alternative livelihood opportunities.
• To assist former manual scavengers in transitioning to safer and more dignified professions, governments and non-governmental organizations can provide vocational training in areas such as plumbing, electrical work, computer literacy, and entrepreneurship.
• Upgrades to Sanitation Infrastructure: Invest in sanitation infrastructure development and improvement, such as the construction of modern toilets, sewage treatment plants, and efficient waste management systems.
• These improvements will reduce the need for manual scavenging and provide safer waste disposal options.