Manual Scavenging and Sanitation Worker Deaths
Context:
Recently, the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Justice V. Ramasubramanian, necessitated the need to study and understand the reasons behind the continuous deaths of sanitation workers.
Relevance:
GS-02 (Government Policies and Interventions)
Key highlights:
- Despite legal provisions to eradicate manual scavenging and hazardous sewage cleaning, deaths of sanitation workers remain rampant in India.
- From 2019 to 2023, 377 deaths were reported due to unsafe cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, highlighting systemic challenges and the urgent need for remedial measures.
- Policy Recommendations by NHRC:
- Effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) schemes.
- Monitoring mechanisms to identify manual scavengers and create a database for health insurance and education.
- Conducting awareness campaigns and budget analysis to improve mechanised sanitation.
- Societal Challenge: Manual scavenging remains a deep-rooted societal problem requiring concerted efforts for eradication.
What is Manual scavenging?
- Manual scavenging refers to the manual cleaning, handling, and disposal of human excreta and other waste from dry latrines, open drains, and sewers. In India, this practice has persisted for decades despite being officially banned since 1993.
- The Constitution of India provides several rights and protections for manual scavengers, including:
- Article 14: Ensures equality before the law and equal protection of the laws.
- Article 17: Abolishes untouchability and prohibits its practice in any form.
- Article 21: Protects life and personal liberty.
- Article 23: Prohibits traffic in human beings and forced labour.
- Legal Provisions: The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 is the primary legislation addressing this issue.
- It prohibits employing or engaging anyone as a manual scavenger.
- It bans the construction or maintenance of insanitary latrines.
About the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):
- It is an autonomous body that was established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993.
- It was formed on 12th October 1993.
- Aim: It promotes and protects human rights across India.
- The NHRC aligns with the Paris Principles, international guidelines adopted in 1993 to bolster human rights institutions globally.
