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Govt failed to implement Manual Scavenging Act 'badly': Rahul Gandhi
Currently, engaging any person for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks by any person or agency is punishable with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine up of to ₹5 lakh or both.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday blamed the Centre for badly implementing the Manual Scavenging Act of 2013, a legislation aimed at prohibiting employment as manual scavengers and rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their families.
Gandhi also attached a PTI report showing Centre's reply in Lok Sabha stating that 389 people died in the country while manually cleaning sewers from 2015 to 2019.
"This shows how badly GOI has failed to implement the Manual Scavenging Act of 2013. Proactive measure must be taken to ensure no further indignity to our fellow citizens and our collective national conscience," Gandhi said in a tweet.
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said FIRs have been registered against 266 people for engaging people for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks that resulted in fatalities.
Also read: Manual scavenging continues to mar Karnataka as conviction stays zero
From 2015 to 2019, he said, 389 people died while manually cleaning sewers.
Responding to another question, Athawale said 210 people died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in the last three years, and states and UTs paid compensation to the families of the deceased in 165 cases.
Responding to a third question, he said 66,692 manual scavengers have been identified across 17 states in the country.
In January this year, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has made a series of recommendation to the Centre to eradicate manual scavenging, including bringing a new Act on “hazardous cleaning” and taking strict action against local authorities who employ people as manual scavengers.
Also read: NHRC recommends special Act against manual scavenging
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 prohibits construction or maintenance of insanitary latrines, and employment of any person for manual scavenging or hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
Currently, engaging any person for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks by any person or agency is punishable with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine up to ₹5 lakh or both.
