Hence, efforts to bring an end to this inhumane practice should start from the government silent. Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in india. Currently, manual scavenging is prohibited by the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993, which was passed by parliament after six states passed resolutions requesting the centre to frame a law. This is, unquestionably, a result of sheer ignorance at an institutional level. The employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 66 iii. The evil of manual scavenging is directly related to the lack of availability of sanitation facilities. Critical analysis of law on manual scavenging in india by. One of the main reasons for the existence of manual scavenging is usage of dry latrines. References rashtriya garima abhiyan justice denied.
On september 18, 20, central government came up with new law on manual scavenging called the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their. India caste system can be categorized in four parts viz. This definition doesnt recognise septic tank and sewer line cleaners as manual scavengers. Please click here to know more about the number of scavengers identified in such surveys. Ugly truths of unsanitary sanitation work an open secret, law needs better enforcement india news, firstpost. Pdf the annihilation of manual scavenging in india researchgate.
Pdf on jan 1, 2019, aakash guglani published the annihilation of manual scavenging in india find, read and cite all the research you. Has nothing been done to abolish manual scavenging. Many times, they are only given food to eat or grains. Manual scavenger in indian railways institutions like the indian railways, the municipal corporations and gram panchayats employ manual scavengers on contract bases. This act was passed in december 20 all across the indian subcontinent except for jammu and kashmir. Despite banning it 28 years ago through a law, technological advancements increasing sensitivity to human rights, manual scavenging persists in india. Natural resource dependent livelihoods and urban development policy. The prohibition and employment of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20, disallows all kinds of employment that force individuals to engage with human excreta in any form manually. India s rail coaches have toilets that drop excreta straightaway on the railway track.
Manual scavenging, the removing of human excreta from dry latrines, railroad tracks and sewers by hand, is a castebased and hereditary occupation form of slavery reserved exclusively for dalits. Manual scavenging is also a genderbased occupation with around 90 per cent of the workers being women. Nov 30, 2020 the biggest irony in the curious case of manual scavengers is that the indian railways, a government agency, is the biggest employer of manual scavengers in the country. As per statistics collected from the census of india 2011, there are about 182,505 manual scavengers that still exist in india, mainly in rural areas. Delayed implementation manual scavenging was banned 25 years ago with the passing of the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993, but it continues to find practitioners.
Of the original list of,640 manual scavengers, 12,917 have been given rs 40,000 each as onetime cash assistance by the national safai karamcharis finance and development corporation nskfdc, under the srms. Like food, clothing and shelter, proper sanitation is one of the basic requirements of mankind. There is thus a need for a more a systematic survey on manual scavengers in all states and union territories, which will help to clearly bring out the number of people engaged in this occupation. The act should be amended to ensure complete abolition of manual scavenging. Manual scavenging is believed to be social practice rather than mere occupation. The employment of manual scavengers and construction of 1279 dry latrines prohibition act, 1993. Centre manual scavengers in india, this focus is understandable. Manual scavenging is defined as the manual cleaning of latrines or the disposal of human excreta. According to recent updates, a central government task force has so far counted 54, manual scavengers in india, which is a fourfold increase from the official statistics of 2019.
Manual scavenging in india a case study for upsc pscnotes. It hires individuals disguised as sweepers on contract. The gazette of india extraordinary partii 41 of 2006. Oct, 2018 the indian railways remains one of the biggest employers of manual scavengers in the country. Thereby, manual scavenging and employment of manual scavengers and sweepers is prohibited in india by law. Selfemployment scheme for rehabilitation of manual. Manual scavenging is a term used mainly in india for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling, human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or sewer or in a septic tank or a pit. The workers have to move the excreta, using brooms and tin plates, into baskets, which they carry. For instance, according to national safai karamchari commission 3 rd and 4 th report there are 5,77,228 manual scavengers.
This appalling practice is exclusively reserved for the dalits, the ones placed at the lowest in the social ladder of india. Looking at this dehumanizing practice of manual scavenging and failure of existing law, central government enacted a new law called the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20 on september 18, 20. Manual scavenging international dalit solidarity network. Status of manual scavengers in india sustainable development goals perspective 1 according to data collated by the national commission for safai karamcharis ncsk, the statutory body for the welfare of sanitation workers. In 20, new legislation within the variety of manual scavengers act was passed that seeks to bolster this ban by prohibiting manual scavenging all together forms and rehabilitation of manual scavengers to be known through a compulsory survey. Research paper social science agriculture volume 4. Scavengers chronicle manual scavenging is the removal of excreta night soil manually from dry toilets, i e, the toilets without modern. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers 67102 and their rehabilitation rules, 20 3. Practice of manual scavenging in india international dalit. However, this law has proved to only exist on paper and is rarely enforced. The plight and status of manual scavengers in india an overview.
Beneficiaries are also provided training for skill development for a period up to two years, during which a stipend of rs. Tracking the history of manual scavenging in india and its. Despite progress, manual scavenging persists in india. Any person who has been employed to handle undecomposed human waste from an insanitary latrine, open drain or pit or railway track is a manual scavenger under this law. In addition to castebased solutions, a gendersensitive approach is required to put an end to this abhorrent practice. India first banned manual scavenging in 1993 with the employment of manual scavenging and construction of dry latrines prohibition act4. Manual scavenging in india is a human rights violation. Manual scavenging in india reasons and responses upsc. Dec 23, 2019 manual scavengers in india does the work without any safety equipment, which puts them under the risk of infections and asphyxiations deprived of oxygen, which are often become fatal. In the heart of the financial capital of the worlds fastest growing economy, the amount of sewage generated is beyond compare. Why does manual scavenging exist in india despite being. They are exposed to most virulent forms of viral and bacterial infections that affect their skin, eyes, limbs, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. There are approximately 160 million dalits in india, and an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 manual scavengers in the state of gujarat alone.
Aug 16, 2011 what is disturbing is that the indian government passed a law outlawing the practice of manual scavenging in the early 1990s so manual scavengers arent supposed to exist. As per section 2j of the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 any person who is engaged or employed by an individual or a local authority for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, human waste from an insanitary latrine, open drain, pit, or railway track is a manual scavenger. The anathema manual scavenging was banned 25 years ago with the passing of the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993, but it continues to find practitioners. A scavenger is one who is wholly or partly engaged in the occupation of manually removing nightsoil from dry latrines, or the manual handling of the dead bodies of animals and humans. Use technology in sewage cleaning and train workers. Manual scavenging is the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling human and animal excreta from dry latrines, sewers and streets. Oct 16, 2020 according to the official data on manual scavenger deaths, about 920 people have died between january 1993 and 2010 while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in india. Status of manual scavengers in india goals perspective. Why manual scavengers in india havent got their rights despite laws, judiciary intervention the absence of a statutory obligation to provide sanitation services by state agencies creates a situation where the rights of manual scavengers hang in the air. Oct 12, 2020 the manual scavengers face extreme levels of hazards, social ostracism and poor wages.
Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any manner, human excreta. The truth about india s manual scavengers talks about this harsh aspect of reality manual scavenging. Present paper will critically analyze the past, present and future of manual scavenging in india. Manual scavengers are employed in cleaning these latrines.
Employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines. Manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20 the 20 act, committing itself yet again to ending manual scavenging. It is the duty of the state to protect the rights of people, improve their standard of living and also the improvement of public health is of prime concern for the government. Self employment scheme for rehabilitation of manual 103126 scavengers srms 4. In 20, the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act pemsr5 replaced this 1993 legislation, by expanding the definition of manual scavengers to include most categories of. The study findings reveal that reports, dating back to preindependent india, and traces the 98% of manual scavengers interviewed were women. The situation with the indian railways is a disturbing reality it is the biggest employer of manual scavengers. Be it enacted by parliament in the sixtyfoufih year of the republic of india as follows. Research paper social science agriculture volume 4 issue. Why manual scavenging is still a problem for india in 2018. Manual scavengers in india, who are castebased occupational groups, constitute one such socially excluded class. This month, our cover story titled, manual scavenging in india. Death of workers engaged in manual scavenging while cleaning the septic tank or sewer sen, j.
According to the 2011 census, there are 26,07,612 dry latrines in india. Sep 11, 2018 the death of five manual scavengers in delhi on sunday september 10 testifies to the fact. What is disturbing is that the indian government passed a law outlawing the practice of manual scavenging in the early 1990s so manual scavengers arent supposed to exist. Pdf on jan 1, 2019, aakash guglani published the annihilation of manual scavenging in i ndia find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Law on manual scavenging in india central government enacted employment of manual scavengers and constructions of dry latrines prohibitions act, 1993 but it failed to serve the purpose. Manual scavenging, caste, and discrimination in india hrw. This waste is removed by brooms and then piled into the scavenger s baskets, which they have to carry to a different location. Government of india had committed to eliminate manual scavenging by the end. Why manual scavengers in india havent got their rights. India environment portal news, reports, documents, blogs.
The employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 punishes the employment of scavengers or construction of dry non. Sep 11, 2020 this act was passed in december 20 all across the indian subcontinent except for jammu and kashmir. A total of,587 manual scavengers have been given skill development training, so that they can be rehabilitated. The law states that the employment of manual scavengers, manual cleaning of the septic tanks and sewers without any protective types of equipment, along with the construction of insanitary latrines is prohibited. And whereas it is necessary to correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers, and to rehabilitate them to a life of dignity. Sep 18, 2018 despite the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 and the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20, manual scavenging continues to be a foul, inhuman and deeply casteist practice prevalent in several indian states. Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any manner, human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. Households employing manual scavengers prefer women to clean the dry latrines as they are generally located inside the house. As per section 2 1 g, manual scavenger means a person engaged or employed, at the commencement of this act or anytime thereafter, by an individual or a local authority or a local authority or an agency or a contractor, for manually cleaning, carrying deposit of, or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta from the insanity latrines is dispose of, or on a railway track or in such other space or premises, as central government or state government may notify, before the excreta fully. And in india today, scavengers and sweepers still carry out the basic sanitary services in cities and towns.
In 1993, india banned the employment of people as manual scavengers. The indian railways is the major employer of manual scavengers, and manages some of the. Pdf as india possess the highest population in the world after china and. The group of people dalits who perform manual scavenging. The identified manual scavengers and their dependents are provided project based backended capital subsidy up to rs. Jun 11, 2019 manual scavenging and its various forms have become part of the indian sanitation sectors everyday affairs. It is extremely unfortunate to see that manual scavenging is still being practiced in our country. The practice of manual scavenging in india lives to ssrn papers. The 1993 act prohibiting manual scavenging defines manual scavenger as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta.
Ambedkar reasons for the prevalence of manual scavenging in india. In 20, landmark new legislation in the form of the manual scavengers act was passed which seeks to reinforce this ban by prohibiting manual scavenging in all forms and ensures the rehabilitation of manual scavengers to be identified through a mandatory survey. Manual scavengers, called by different names in different regions constitute the lowest sub. Jul 24, 2019 manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20. Manual scavenging literally means removal of human excreta from toilets without flush systems.
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