Introduction:

Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any manner, human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. Despite banning it 26 years ago through a law, technological advancements increasing sensitivity to human rights, manual scavenging persists in India. The National Human Rights Commission recently rapped the Government about its seriousness to end manual scavenging

Body:

State of Manual Scavenging in India:

• Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) released in 2015, states that there were around 18 million manual scavenging households in rural areas.
• A government survey identifies 12,226 manual scavengers in 12 states. Most septic tanks are emptied manually in Indian cities.
• The lack of proper safeguards puts manual scavengers at risk of infections, which are occasionally fatal.
• Statistics show that 80% of India’s sewage cleaners die before they turn 60, after contracting various infectious diseases.
• The biggest challenge before the government is to check on private firms, which illegally engage people to clean sewers manually.
• Recently, Delhi Jal Board has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure for cleaning of sewers.
• The National Policy on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management, 2017, states that employment of manual scavengers is illegal, but it does not suggest mechanical alternatives to unclog septic tanks, drains and sewers

Government Initiatives regarding Manual Scavenging:

• The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act was passed by the parliament in 1993, and set imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs 2,000 for pushing a person to manual scavenging.
• Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers(SRMS), a successor scheme to NSLRS ( National Scheme for Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers and their Dependents), was introduced in 2007 with the objective to rehabilitate remaining manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations, in a time bound manner.
• Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 came into effect from 6thDecember, 2013. This Act intends to achieve its objectives of eliminating insanitary latrines, prohibition of employment as manual scavengers etc.
• The act says National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) would monitor implementation of the Act and enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of the Act.
• Under the provision, no person, local authority or agency should engage or employ people for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks
• Mechanised cleaning of septic tanks is the prescribed norm.
• A violation can be punished with two years of imprisonment or fine or both.
• Supreme Court issued a slew of directions in 2014 to prevent and control the practice and also to prosecute the offenders.
• It also directed the government to pay a compensation of 10 lakh rupees to the family members of those killed in acts of manual scavenging since 1993.
• Also, the right to live with dignity is implicit in the Fundamental Rights guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution. Article 46 of the Constitution, on the other hand, provides that the State shall protect the weaker sections particularly, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• In spite of a well-funded programme such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in operation, little attention is devoted to this aspect of sanitation.

Challenges in banning manual scavenging:

• However, the dehumanising practice of manual scavenging, arising from the continued existence of insanitary latrines and a highly iniquitous caste system, still persists in various parts of the country.
• Design: Septic tanks are designed badly. They have engineering defects which means that after a point, a machine cannot clean it.
• Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, millions of septic tanks are being built in rural India
• By 2019, some 30 million septic tanks and pits would have been dug along the Ganga. If the Central, state and local sanitation programmes do not take up faecal sludge management as a priority, the onus will shift to the lowest rung of the society to clean millions of dry toilets.
• Sewage issues: Many cities do not have sewerage that covers the whole city. Sometimes, sewage lines are connected to storm water drains which get clogged and demand human intervention.
• Open drains: Open drains are also badly designed, allowing people to dump solid waste into them, which accentuates the problem. Improper disposal of sanitary napkins, diapers etc clog the drains, which machines cannot clear.
• Manual scavenging is not only a caste-based but also a gender-based occupation with 90 per cent of them being women.
• Irony of Swachh Bharat Mission: On the one hand it aims at protecting dignity of women by providing them with private sanitation spaces, and on the other, it is perpetuating humiliation of women manual scavengers as they are the ones who clean human excreta from dry-pit latrines.
• Legislative failure: In 2013, the ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act came into force. However this law leaves people helpless.
• In the earlier Act, the district magistrate had the power to solve all the cases, but that’s not the case with the current one. If the assigned public official isn’t doing his duty of identifying manual scavengers and processing their rehabilitation, there is no mechanism to pull them up
• The Act does not address critical aspects of provisions like the rehabilitation of those who were liberated from manual scavenging before passing the law in 2013.
• Liberated manual scavengers regularly face brutal atrocity and violence.
• Safety issues: Requirements of oxygen cylinder, torches, and constant monitoring of workers through computers etc. are not mentioned in the act and hence are not provided to the cleaners.
• Lack of education: Low level of education, awareness about their rights, laws and low self esteem force them to take such work.
• National Safai Karamcharis Commission which was mandated to implement the act has not been functioning properly. Its website has not been updated about recent developments and new initiatives.

Measures needed:

• It is a social and gender issue and can be eradicated by sensitising people about its ills.
• We need to strike at the root cause —caste prejudice as Raja Ram Mohan Roy said that change should come from society itself.
• Ensure discrimination-free, secure and alternate livelihoods by providing skill development and livelihoods training to women
• Create a favourable environment through community awareness and sensitization of local administration.
• Build the capacity of the community to promote rehabilitation efforts and self-reliance and also build leadership in the community with a particular focus on Dalit women
• Requires a comprehensive approach that moves beyond expanding income generation or providing loans, to secure the future of the next generation of liberated manual scavengers.
• Need to demolish and rebuild old facilities lacking sanitation
• Raising the confidence level among those engaged in manual cleaning is vital
• Need for political will to eradicate this inhuman practice.
• Improving educational status among the children of the scavenging community
• Swachh Bharat Mission may be used to actively target conversion of insanitary latrines on priority basis.
• Liberated manual scavengers must be linked to social security and other welfare schemes to ensure that they are not dependent on this inhuman work for their survival.
• Bio-toilets: Bio-digester toilets are designed to convert human waste into gases and manure.
• The zero-waste bio digester technology uses psychotropic bacteria to break down human excreta into usable water and gas. Once applied, the bacteria can work for a lifetime.