Mains Practice Questions

Introduction

Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, handling, and disposing of human excreta and other waste materials from dry latrines, open drains, and sewers. It has been a long-standing issue in India despite being officially banned since 1993 under the Employment of Manual Scavengers and its Prohibition Act, 2013.

Body

Reasons for the persistence of manual scavenging in India :

• Inadequate Implementation of Laws: India has enacted several laws aimed at prohibiting manual scavenging, including the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. However, challenges remain in enforcing these laws effectively.
• Inefficiency in Demolishing Insanitary Latrines: The root cause of manual scavenging are insanitary latrines that remain unaddressed due to slow and ineffective administrative actions.
  • According to Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, India has over a million of insanitary latrines, many of which still dispose of night soil into open drains and are manually serviced.
• Lack of Alternative Livelihood Opportunities : Many individuals engaged in manual scavenging lack access to alternative employment options, which perpetuates their involvement in this occupation.
• Barriers to Accessing the Criminal Justice System: Dalits and marginalised communities face significant barriers to justice, as police often ignore or refuse to investigate crimes against manual scavengers, particularly when perpetrators are from dominant castes.
  • This systemic bias undermines legal protections and discourages victims from seeking redress.

NAMASTE Scheme and its Role in Eradication:

• Eliminating Manual Scavenging: The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), focusing on eliminating manual scavenging and promoting sanitation worker safety.
  • NAMASTE, with an outlay of Rs. 349.70 crore, aims to cover all 4800+ ULBs by 2025-26, replacing the earlier Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).
• Identification: As per the new modified scheme, profiling of Sewer/Septic Tanks Workers (SSWs) engaged by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)would be undertaken.
  • As of September 2024, 3,326 ULBs have profiled approximately 38,000 SSWs.
• Occupational Training: These SSWs are proposed to receive occupational safety training, and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.
• Extending Health Insurance Scheme Benefits: To identified SSWs and their families under the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• Livelihood Assistance: The Action Plan will promote mechanization and enterprise development by providing funding support and subsidy (capital interest) to the sanitation workers, to procure sanitation-related equipment.
• IEC (Information Education and Communication) Campaign: Massive campaigns would be undertaken jointly by the ULBs & NSKFDC (National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation) to spread awareness about the interventions of NAMASTE.

Conclusion

The persistence of manual scavenging in India represents a significant violation of human dignity and a manifestation of deep-rooted social inequities. Achieving the complete eradication of manual scavenging will require sustained political will, strict law enforcement, and comprehensive rehabilitation efforts, ensuring a dignified life for all citizens.