December 7, 2023
Abir Ranjan Biswas’s Zero Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha on the need for the abolition of manual scavenging and the rehabilitation of people involved in such activities
Sir, recently four migrant workers from Bihar died while cleaning a septic tank in Surat, Gujarat. The Union Government has stated that there have been no deaths due to manual scavenging in the country. However, the Government’s own data states that over 300 people have died in the last five years due to accidents while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. Manual scavenging has been prohibited in India since 2013. However, dalits and tribles are forced to take up these jobs mainly due to poverty and lack of employment elsewhere. The historical repression and marginalization of these groups still exists, leaving them no other source to earn a living. The Government needs to take urgent measures to ensure that no person should have to demean himself by cleaning sewers and septic tanks manually. The law should be enforced strictly in this regard, especially on private firms who employ such persons on per diem basis which do not show them on their rolls, often without providing them any protective gears. The technological solutions need to be enhanced and mechanical desludging and the use of robots should become the norms. Selfemployment scheme for rehabilitation of manual scavengers need to be revived. Besides one-time cash component, the emphasis needs to be put on skilling and providing them soft loans to enable them to carve out alternative means of earning, livelihood or other career. We must ensure dignity of life and livelihood for every Indian citizen. Thank you.
