The working conditions of manual scavengers who manually clean drains, sewers and septic tanks and remove human excreta have not changed for decades. Many of them make their way down a manhole wearing next to nothing, and clean sewers with minimal equipment. Once they finish, they cart away the waste without wearing any protective gear. Manual scavenging is considered to be hazardous and could lead to death. This deplorable practice was banned in India in 1993 but the specific piece of legislation banning it was effectively implemented by State governments. In 2012, the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill was passed but This too has been criticized for significant loopholes. Even today, people continue to die from the practice of manual scavenging. Media reports, citing data from the government’s National Commission for Safai Karamcharis a government body say that 123 people employed to undertake different forms of manual scavenging have lost their lives since January 2017. At least six deaths were reported in mid­September in Delhi this year. The law states that employment without any protective gear is a cognizable, non-bailable offense. A large majority of manual scavengers face serious health hazards such as poor general health, a high mortality rate, poor nutrition, and increased communicable diseases. Surveys show that only 10% of these patients feel positive about their health status and most of them have a very poor quality of life with respect to general health. Physical injuries are among the most common health issues they face followed by infections and lung diseases. The aeration and de­watering process involved in cleaning also introduces droplets and particles into the air, which are inhaled into the lungs, coughed up and swallowed leading to an array of lung and gastro­intestinal diseases.

Answer the following questions from the above passage-

1. How do drains, camps, and tank cleaners work?

2. What type of work is manual scavenging considered and what is its disadvantage?

3. What does the media reporter say citing government body figures?

4. What does the law say about manual scavenger?

5. How do manual scavengers affect the cleaning worker?