Background note on prohibition of manual scavenging and. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20. Ministry of communication and information technology, india pdf of act pdf of act. The practise of manual scavenging is linked to indias caste system where socalled lower.
It is extremely unfortunate to see that manual scavenging is still being practiced in our country. The practice of manual scavenging is really prohibited in india. Help will also be provided for retraining and for their families. Construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993. Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in india. Indias female scavengers enslaved by caste, gender. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and. Manual scavenging is a term used mainly in india for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling, human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or pit. If this bill does become a reality, civil society must hold the central and state governments to the promises made in the bill. Manual scavenging, caste, and discrimination in india, human. Tracking the history of manual scavenging in india and its.
As per statistics collected from the census of india 2011, there are about 182,505 manual scavengers that still exist in india, mainly in rural areas. Such a dangerous and dehumanizing practice even after being made illegal is still active in india. A new act and rules were adopted in 20 reinforcing this illegality. It seeks to rehabilitate manual scavengers and provide for their alternative employment. Socioeconomic and caste census secc released in 2015, states that there were around 18 million manual scavenging households in rural areas. Thereby, manual scavenging and employment of manual scavengers and sweepers is prohibited in india by law. Most septic tanks are emptied manually in indian cities. Law against manual scavenging a simple explainer which helps in understanding the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20 contents. It mostly involves using the most basic tools like buckets, brooms, and baskets. India prohibition of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act. Manual scavenging is historically linked to the practice of untouchability and the continuation such practices. Manual scavenging was banned 25 years ago with the passing of the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993, but it continues to find practitioners.
Numerous laws have outlaw the practice for last 60 years. Labour conference in 2007, the manual scavenging issue was discussed under the application of ratified conventions. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill, 2012 a bill to provide for the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers, rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their families, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The occupation persists mainly because of the continued presence of insanitary latrines. Parliament passes antimanual scavenging bill green. Cabinet has cleared bill on manual scavenging, court told. The manual scavenging bill 2012 a critical analysis the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill 2012 was introduced in the lok sabha in september 2012 with a commitment of removing the historically iniquitous, casteordained practice of manually handing human waste. A discussion about the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill, 2012 passed by the parliament in august 20. In 20, the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993. There is a fear that the focus on sanitation and public health dimensions would make the dignity of manual scavenger secondary to the sanitation facilities of the general public and environmental quality. View manual scavenging research papers on academia.
Across india, castes that work as manual scavengers collect human excrement on a. India was one of the countries included in this discussion under discrimination convention. The bill prohibits the employment of manual scavengers, the manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment, and the construction of insanitary latrines. Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any manner, human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. Manual scavenging exists primarily because of absence of water borne latrines. Manual scavenging is the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, or handling human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. The lawyer insists, manual scavenging should be seen as a gross violation of human rights. Prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their. The manual scavenging bill2012 a critical analysis. Using a broom, a tin plate and a drum, they clear and carry human excreta from toilets, more often on their heads, to dumping grounds and disposal sites. Manual scavenging act and municipal waste water workers in india policy and practice pgdel, national law school of india university 3 declaration i, n. Employing a person for manual scavenging in india is legally prohibited.
Rehabilitating manual scavengers english, hindi manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any manner, human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. Bill to provide for the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers, rehabilitation of manual scavengers and. The bill seeks to eliminate manual scavenging and insanitary latrines. Pdf the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers. A government survey identifies 12,226 manual scavengers in 12 states. Manual scavenging bill, passed in parliament, has several. The lok sabha passed a historic bill to put an end to manual scavenging in india. Manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20. Construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 provides for the prohibition of employment of manual scavengers as well as construction or continuance of. Pdf manual scavenging is a castebased and hereditary occupation for dalits. Manual scavengers usually use hand tools such as buckets, brooms and shovels.
Stringent antimanual scavenging bill passed the hindu. The truth about indias manual scavengers talks about this harsh aspect of reality manual scavenging. The new bill was first introduced in lok sabha on september 3, last year. The union government on monday told the supreme court that the cabinet had cleared the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill. In 20, prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill, to ban manual scavenging and rehabilitate those who were forced to do it, was introduced. The manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act enacted in 1993 by the government of india prohibits manual scavenging in the country. Find details about the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20. Rather than continue using the umbrella term manual scavenger, a comprehensive classification of the various kinds of. The 1993 act prohibiting manual scavenging defines manual scavenger as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta. In september 2012, a new and expanded bill on manual scavenging was submitted to the indian parliament. Manual scavenging international dalit solidarity network. It is the duty of the state to protect the rights of people, improve their standard of living and also the improvement of public health is of prime concern for the government. A bill seeking to prohibit employment of individuals as manual scavengers by prescribing stringent punishment, including imprisonment up to five years, was passed by. Org prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation rules, 20 subject created date.
Manual scavenging, caste, and discrimination in india hrw. It often involves using the most basic of tools such as buckets, brooms and baskets. Pdf the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and. Manual scavenging in india is a human rights violation. One such degrading and inhuman practice that is still prevalent in india is manual scavenging. The workers have to move the excreta, using brooms and tin. Manual scavenging in india reasons and responses upsc.
Prohibition of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act no. The work is being regarded as a castebased, dehumanizing practice. The bill was introduced in the lok sabha on september 3, 2012 by the minister of social justice and empowerment, mukul wasnik. It also aims to provide rehabilitation to manual scavengers and their families. Users can get information on the act, its objectives, short title, definition and commencement. I hope this manual helps to improve the capacities of the plumbers, whose impacts on overall sanitation in the city is most important. Information related to sections of the act is given. In december 2012, a twomonth long march to end manual scavenging the maila mukti yatra crossed 18 indian states and. Written suggestions and memoranda were sought from the some of the ngos working in the field of rehabilitation of manual scavenging namely, safai. The new bill looks at manual scavenging from the point of view of restoring human dignity and human rights and talks about rehabilitation and has been drafted by the ministry of social justice and empowerment. The manual scavenging bill 2012 a critical analysis the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill 2012 was introduced in the lok sabha in september 2012 with a commitment of removing the historically iniquitous, casteordained practice of. The new manual scavenging legislation should not be a toothless one like the 1993 legislation. It was recently reported that the national capital of india witnessed numerous deaths of sanitation workers, employed in the cleaning of sewage and drains, mainly due to lack of safety equipment. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act and rule organisations under the division allocation for welfare of scheduled castes eutthaan.
And whereas it is necessary to enact a uniform legislation for the whole of india for abolishing manual scavenging by declaring employment of manual scavengers for removal of human excreta an offence and thereby ban the further proliferation of dry latrines in the country. Rehabilitation of persons identified as manual scavenger by a. These deaths are not just restricted to new delhi as similar deaths have been reported in other indian states manual scavenging has been termed as the worst surviving symbol of. You can speak up against this form of discrimination and share your views by publishing a story here.
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