JOIN USThe law banning manual scavenging has been in force since 1993 but has not been implemented sincerely and effectively in most parts of the country. The inhuman practice still exists in many places, although the reality is not accepted by governments and civic authorities. The central government widened the scope of the law in 2013 by making it applicable to all insanitary latrines, apart from dry latrines. After the recent deaths of at least 10 persons in Delhi as a result of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks, the government has decided to further tighten the law. The proposal is to make contractors and private persons engaged for cleaning of sewers liable for such deaths and for payment of compensation. This should have been prescribed in the original law. But given that most other penal provisions of the law have not been implemented, the addition now of one more provision may not make much difference.
Contractors have to provide protective gear to workers, but this is often not done. State governments are required to set up monitoring committees but only 12 states have done that. Among them, only four have held any meetings of these committees. According to government data, there are 13,368 manual scavengers in the country. The 2011 census had put the number at 1,82,505. The states have not identified all those who are engaged in manual scavenging and many have concealed the data. When states do not even acknowledge their existence, it is not possible to rehabilitate them, pay compensation in case of accidents or help them in any manner. The funds allocated for rehabilitation have been reduced from Rs 557 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 5 crore this year. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, whose focus is different, has not helped to stop the practice and to improve the plight of manual scavengers.
Manual scavenging is a practice in which many issues like caste, health, education, livelihood, social status and self-respect of people are involved. It is shameful that such a degrading practice continues and society and governments are unable to eradicate it. It is estimated that there are 2.6 million insanitary latrines which require cleaning by hand. Cleaning of sewers and septic tanks is hazardous. Deaths and injuries are frequent. Although states have been told to go in for mechanisation of such work, they have not done that. The law may be changed, improved or made more stringent to deal with the problem, but effective implementation is equally important. The task is especially difficult when entrenched attitudes and ideas are involved.