Ending anobnoxious practice

The Central government’s move to amend the Manual Scavenging Act, 2013, to make mechanised cleaning of septic and sewer tanks mandatory will hopefully aid the efforts to put end to this obnoxious practice. The government also wants to replace the word manhole with ‘’machine-hole’’ in all official usage and set up a round-the-clock helpline for reporting of violations. It has set a deadline of August 2021 to completely eliminate the practice. The deadline for mechanisation is April 2021, and it has been made clear that proper gear should be provided to workers if in emergency situations they are to enter sewers. The government plans to make the movement a success with the participation of states and civic bodies. The efforts are welcome, but past experience with the implementation of various plans which were launched to end the practice is not encouraging.

Manual scavenging is banned in the country since 1993 and it is a criminal offence to engage manual scavengers, force any one to do the work and aid anyone in the activity. But according to the government’s data, it has led to 376 deaths over the past five years, including 110 in 2019. There was a 61% increase in the number of deaths in 2019 from 2018. The government has admitted that states have not reported any convictions for employing manual scavengers. That shows how ineffective the law has been. Government organisations have themselves been found to be involved in the practice. Very often local bodies give sewer cleaning contracts to private agencies or individuals who engage manual scavengers for work. No one is held accountable for any mishap and the practice continues very much with the knowledge of the authorities who are expected to end it and take action against offenders.

It is clear that ending manual scavenging is not as easy as changing practices in areas like agriculture or eliminating hazardous work with the help of machines. Scavenging is mixed with caste, social hierarchies, economic deprivation and other factors, and many of those who work in sewers and septic tanks are unable to get out of their dire and demeaning situation. Though a scheme for rehabilitation of manual scavengers is in place, many have not benefitted from it. The government has now decided to give funds directly to workers to buy the cleaning machines instead of the municipalities. This will mean that existing workers will continue to do the cleaning work, though with the use of machines. Use of machines may not be possible in all septic tanks and sewers. In spite of these limitations, efforts must be made to make a success of the initiative to end the dehumanising practice.