by Kritin Deb
Manual Scavenging is defined as the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, along with cleaning septic tanks, sewers and gutters. Although now abolished and having been advocated against rigorously since we gained Independence, it remains prevalent throughout several regions of India. According to a survey encompassing 18 states, close to 50,000 manual scavengers were identified as of January 2020. Furthermore, data from 2018 suggests that 30,000 people were engaged in manual scavenging in Uttar Pradesh alone. 2019 saw the highest number of manual scavenging deaths over the past 5 years, as 110 people were killed while cleaning septic tanks and sewers, signifying a 61% increase in deaths from the previous year. While India is no longer considered to be a third world country and is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, it seems counter-intuitive that human resources are not only engaged in such degrading jobs but also incurring a loss of life at an incremental rate. One would imagine that in a time where human rights and equality are more prevalent than ever, practices such as manual scavenging would be a whiff of the past. However, while it remains abolished on paper and in theory, the ground reality remains starkly different. However, this issue goes beyond statistics and data. Manual scavenging continues to exist due to grassroots level casteism, discrimination and notions of untouchability.
Manual scavengers often belong to castes that are relegated to the very bottom of the ‘hierarchy’. Therefore, their limited job opportunities are mostly constituted by work that is deemed to be too menial for the higher castes. By working these jobs, the discrimination and notion of untouchability against them only strengthens, leading to a vicious cycle of exploitation of human rights for the workers and their families. Ashif Shaikh, the founder of Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan, a grassroots level organization condemning manual scavenging, says that manual scavenging isn’t a form of employment, but rather similar to slavery. It remains central to the violation of human rights that Dalits face in their communities. Therefore, one can begin to understand the plight of these workers. If they work these degrading jobs, they face discrimination. If they don’t, they risk abandoning a quintessential source of income, which protects them from starvation and shelters them.
2013 saw the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act being passed. A landmark feature of this act was not only to abolish the practice itself but to also rid the systemic stigmas and discrimination which complement it. While it was encouraging to see the government take a stance against the violations and injustices faced by manual scavengers, it was equally disappointed to observe the implementation of the Act. Not only is the practice of manual scavenging prevalent across the states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan etc, but the discriminatory attitudes remain entrenched deep within society. For example, talking to Humans Rights Watch, several women who sought to leave manual scavenging faced threats from the households they were serving, having been told that they will be denied access to community land and resources, along with possible eviction. Furthermore, not only have state officials, municipal corporations and village councils failed to implement the law, they also participate in perpetuating the practice of manual scavenging. Under communal and social pressure, these workers have little choice but to resort towards working such menial jobs. It is indeed a shame that their rights and dignity continue to be exploited, even with the law on their side.
As of today, the government provides one-time cash assistance of 40,000 Rupees, along with concession on interest rates on loans to help rehabilitate manual scavengers. Furthermore, they also provide scholarships to aid the education of their children. However, this one-time approach is inefficient and unable to solve the issue. Therefore, state governments must work towards revitalising these communities as a whole and provide monetary and non-monetary compensation through job opportunities and governmental schemes. Furthermore, they must also eradicate the demand for manual scavenging by investing in their sanitation systems. In this age of advanced technology and automation, one should rely on machines rather than humans to perform such derogatory tasks. Finally, the government must keep a close eye on village communities and ensure that the civil rights of manual scavengers and their families are not exploited through systemic discrimination and casteism. The way forward presents a long and challenging road for these people, however, it is about time that India, a country which prides itself upon its fundamentals of equality and dignity, disassociates itself with the modern incarnation of slavery.