Expressing serious concern over the continuance of manual scavenging in the country, Mr. Justice H.L. Dattu, Chairperson, NHRC said that the Government needs to tell what it has done to end this menace. Merely putting laws in place will not to be suffice; the ground realties need to change. He was inaugurating the NHRC’s ‘Open fourum discussion on the issues and challenges of manual scavenging and human rights at the Commission’s premisies in New Delhi on 24th May’19

Justice Dattu said that even after the intervention of the Supreme Court in the matter, it appears that the laws to eradicate manual scavenging are lying on the table and may remain so unless implemented proactively. It’s a curse on society that we continue to hear about the deaths of people while cleaning sewage without protective gear, which amounts to violation of human rights. We hear about such incidents happening in the National Capital, imagine what will be the situation in the other parts of the country. The Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of 34 such incidents in the recent past. The NHRC Chairperson said that this menace should have ended long back by adopting some system as in developed countries.

Ms. Nilam Sawhney, Secretary, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said that the eradication of manual scavenging remains very high on the priority of the Government. Several programmes, policies and welfare measures, including the legislative and programmitic interventions, have been introduced and are being implemented to achieve the desired results.

She said that as per 2018 survey, there are 173 districts in the country where the problem of manual scavenging still continues. 34,749 manual scavengers have been identified so far. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 16663 followed by Maharashtra with 6387 manual scavengers. Efforts are on to identify the manual scavengers for their rehabilation through skill development and financial assistance. Identification of dry latrines and their replacement with proper toilets is an ongoing exercise. The Railways have upgraded more than 55 thousand coaches with bio toilets so that human excreta does not fall on the tracks. 464 workshops have been conducted in various Municipalties for awarness about the laws on eradication of the manual scavenging and welfare measures for the rehabilation of manual scavengers. The focus is on shifting hazardous cleaning to mechanized cleaning.

Mr. Jaideep Govind, Secretary General, NHRC said that no doubt work is being done to address the issue but a lot needs to be done to eradicate the manual scavenging and open defecation. Many open defecation free villages are returing to older ways; availability of water remains a concern. The Minsitires need to own up the lot of problems to help them find solutions thereof. He expected that they will proacticevely and timely send the requisite reports to the NHRC as well as the compliance reports.

Many important suggestions emerged during the discussions, some of which are as follows:

1. Ensure strict compliance of the legal provisons to eradicate manual scavenging;
2. Increase the amount of scholarship for the children of manul scavenger upto Rs 5000 per month;
3. Disclose data on the number of manual scavengers in every part of the country proactively;
4. Make it compulsory that only those will be engaged for the job for cleaning, who are trained for the job and registerd;
5. Conduct survey and an audit on the incidents of deaths while cleaning sewage/ drainage to know the causes and suggestions for remedial measures;
6. Release data on the people got scholarship and rehabilataed;
7. Prepare a safety gear a kit and provise it to the municipalities which can give it to to people involved inb the job of cleaning;

Besides the NHRC Members, Mr. Justice P.C.Pant, Mrs. Jyotika Kalra, the other participants included Mr. Arun Bakora, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ms. Yogita Swaroop, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Socila Justice and Empowerment Mrs. Deepa Bajwa, Director General, Defence Estates, Mr. V. K. Jindal, Joint Secreraetry, Ministry of Urban Housing Affairs, Mr. Alok Kumar, Executive Director, Railway Board, represenataives of UN and other international bodies and civil society, including among others, Mr. Bejwada Wilson, National Convener, Safai Karamchari Andolan, Ms. Suman Chahar, Vice Presodent, Sulabh International, senior officers of the NHRC Mr. Prabhat Singh, D.G.(I), Mr. Dilip Kumar, Joint Secretary(T&R), Dr. Ranjit Singh, Joint Secretary(P&A), Dr Sanjay Dubey, Director.