Manual scavenging – the worst surviving symbol of untouchability

“No modern country in the world forces human being to enter sewers to clean. Why then does India use manual scavenging? It is because we have caste which has for ages been forced to do it for minimal pay”                                                                
                                                                                                              -- Dilip Mondal (poet and activist)


We regard many professions with high dignity. Some of them are  Civil Servants, Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers and so on. We all embrace such profession as they possess a very high position in the society. Have you ever thought of people who in spite of doing their job lose their dignity in our very own country?

 ‘Manual scavengers’ you may have noted this word in newspaper articles, which would have said “A municipal cleaner lost his life due to asphyxiation entering a pit hole while cleaning the sewers”. What prompts a person to do this job which has no assurance of life?
This dehumanizing practice is prevalent across the country, and is done by people who fall lowest in the caste hierarchy. Manual scavenging is caste based and gender biased occupation, especially women are involved more in such activities. Manual scavenging is more prevalent especially on railway tracks and platforms across India. This sewer cleaning involves many health hazards like exposure to harmful gases, cardiovascular degeneration, respiratory system problems and leads to death in the long run.

Manual scavenging (cleaning sewers and clearing human excreta from open-pit toilets) is prohibited under the 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. In spite of this law being implemented all over the country, incidents of death of manual scavengers are reported very often.


A report released by Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment states that 20,500 people have been identified as involved in manual scavenging across 18 states in India. The Socio economic caste census of 2011 reported 1.82 lakh families had at least one member employed in manual scavenging.
Safai Karmachari Andolan is a movement which aims to completely eradicate manual scavenging from India. The movement began with the efforts of the youth from the community, led by Bezwada Wilson, who was born into a family of manual scavengers, and had seen the injustices meted out to them all his life.
Bezwada Wilson, National Convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner

 Mr.Bezwada Wilson was awarded Raman Magsaysay award -2016 for carrying out such revolutionary activity all over the country. Government initiation such as National Safai Karamcharis Financial and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) has been designated as the nodal Agency for implementation of the Central Sector Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. NSKFDC disburses loans and gives skill based training to manual scavengers to source their income through other activities.
What can be done?

Availability of cheap labour is the sole reason of prevalence of manual scavenging. To eradicate the profession of manual scavenging, it is important to provide the people with alternate profession.

Our central government through local governing bodies must identify the people and provide alternate profession to those targeted people.

 Our government must be more stringent in implementing the law which states manual scavenging as illegal.

 Private sanitation companies are hiring persons especially to enter sewer holes, such activities must be monitored by district nodal agencies.

Schools and colleges by imparting awareness to students must thrive to ‘de-caste’ this profession from a particular community.

Government should invest in technology to replace manual scavenging. Young minds from premier institution such as IITs should be directed to innovate robots to clean sewer holes in India.

Individuals can spread awareness on their own and make such people aware of the existing law and make sure government policies like NSKFDC reach the targeted group.

 Youngsters in particular should learn the root cause of this issue and act in such a manner that manual scavenging in completely eradicated not only from India but also over other such places in the world.

 Any queries regarding the article contact

 R. Mridhu Bhashini

 Mail: aesthetesphotography@gmail.com

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Note: (Each highlighted word in the article pertains to a web link from which the data is collected from , for further details double click the highlighted word).


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Comments

Anuj said…
Article is very gud!

manual scavenging can be eradicated only when people are totally aware of the history of caste in India. The views expressed are really good...
December 16, 2019 at 7:07 PM
Anonymous said…
good article

At least at present protective gears must be given to must be provided to sanitation workers. At the place of site the government must ensure first aid to avoid any deaths.

utmost this practice must be completely vanished from earth. We must be ashamed to use humans do such job in this 21st century too.......

December 16, 2019 at 7:11 PM
Mohammed Ismail said…
A well written article, this practice of manual scavenging exits since many centuries in India. Government is taking steps but it should increase its pace.
Such practice degrade the whole of humanity.

nice work Mridhu bhashin and Young India

very rare such articles are publicised
December 16, 2019 at 7:22 PM
Anagha said…
An article on much needed topic of discussion.
Nicely phrased and legible to all audiences.
December 16, 2019 at 8:53 PM
anitha said…
Well written with great social responsibility. KUDOS dear. Create more awareness through effective expressions.
December 18, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Mahendiran said…
Neat ..and clean..!!
Message conved so well..
Well done...!
December 18, 2019 at 10:27 PM
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