By Mohd Naushad Khan
NEW DELHI—Social activists and human rights defenders have strongly criticised the perpetuation of the practice of manual scavenging in the country as an “inhuman act,” despite laws banning the practice in India. They gave their comments in reaction to eight persons having lost their life while manually cleaning septic tanks and gutters a few weeks ago in Delhi and NOIDA in UP, bordering Delhi.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice-president Prof. Mohammed Salim Engineer, who is also associated with several other organisations fighting for justice and human dignity, urged the government to implement laws against manual scavenging strictly so as to end the abominable practice absolutely.
Speaking to this scribe, Mr Salim Engineer advised the government to penalise those asking for manual scavenging. He said the Jamaat-e-Islami had been raising such issues in the past and will continue to do so.
An alumnus of IIT-Kanpur, the JIH leader suggested that judiciary should take suo motu notice and take action against those forcing workers for manual scavenging.
Bezwada Wilson, who was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2016 for his exceptional work for eradication of manual scavenging in India, said that it was a national shame that manual scavenging continued in India even after 75 years of country’s Independence.
He said the manual scavenging was banned by the Supreme Court through an order 10 years ago. “It is really a shame that the horrible practice has not stopped yet,” said Wilson.
The laws passed by the Government of India banning manual scavenging are: 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, 2013. Yet, the practice of manual scavenging continues.
Asif Shaikh, Founder and Director, Jan Sahas Social Development Society, who claims to have rehabilitated more than 40,000 people from manual scavenging and other forms of forced labour said it is a matter of national shame as long as even one manual scavenger exists in India.
Journalist Bhasha Singh, who wrote a book titled “Unseen: The Truth about India’s Manual Scavengers,” said that manual scavenging was still prevalent in India despite several laws passed against this evil practice.
As per the government data, 339 people have died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in India in the last five years. Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, while responding to a question in the Lok Sabha recently said nine such deaths were recorded in 2023, 66 in 2022, 58 in 2021, 22 in 2020, 117 in 2019 and 67 deaths in 2018.
