{"id":8293,"date":"2022-03-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/12-03-2022\/manual-scavenging\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T17:05:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T11:35:13","slug":"manual-scavenging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-03-2022\/manual-scavenging","title":{"rendered":"Manual Scavenging"},"content":{"rendered":"

In News\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
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  • Recently, some labourers in Mumbai, allegedly hired for manual scavenging, died after inhaling toxic fumes in a septic tank.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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    • Even though manual scavenging is banned in India, the practice is still prevalent in many parts of the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      What is Manual Scavenging?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
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      • Manual scavenging is the practice of <\/span><\/span><\/span>removing human excreta <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>by hand from sewers or septic tanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • It is mostly carried out by a <\/span><\/span><\/span>subgroup of the Dalits,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> an outcast community also known as \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span>untouchables<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d within India\u2019s ancient system of caste hierarchies.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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        • \u201cUntouchables\u201d are often impoverished, shunned by society and forbidden from touching Indians of other castes, or even their food.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • India banned the practice under the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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          • The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta till its disposal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Why is manual scavenging still prevalent in India?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
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            • The <\/span><\/span><\/span>lack of enforcement of the Act and exploitation of unskilled labourers <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>are the reasons why the practice is still prevalent in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
            • The Mumbai civic body charges anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 to clean septic tanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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              • The unskilled labourers, meanwhile, are much cheaper to hire and contractors illegally employ them at a daily wage of Rs 300-500.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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                • Scavenging continues in parts of India largely due to <\/span><\/span><\/span>governmental indifference and social prejudice.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
                • There is a complete<\/span><\/span><\/span> absence of planning<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for the maintenance of sewerage, septic tanks, and waste disposal systems in the urban policies made for the city by the state and private companies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
                • The <\/span><\/span><\/span>number of people killed<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> while cleaning sewers and septic tanks <\/span><\/span><\/span>has increased <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>over the last few years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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                  • 2019 saw the highest number of manual scavenging deaths in the past five years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Government Measures to Tackle Manual Scavenging<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
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                    • Legislative:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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                      • The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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                        • It set imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs 2,000 for pushing a person to manual scavenging.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                        • Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n