National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media report on the plight of manual scavengers, including 30 women in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) and a total of 12,737 identified in 13 states and Union Territories till January, 2017.
Terming it as the worst example of violation of right to life, dignity, equality and health care, the NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary of UP and Secretary, Union ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The officials have been asked to submit detailed report in this regard along with steps taken/proposed to be taken to deal with the situation within six weeks. The officials will also explain about the measures for relief and rehabilitation of the victims.
The NHRC observed that in a civilized society where the government has passed laws like ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, Untouchability Offence Act and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Caste (PoA) Act, women of a vulnerable Dalit community were still not able to get rid of the slur of carrying human excreta on their heads. It said that when the situatoon in Meerut (UP), which is in the National Capital Region, is what is seen then one can imagine the scenario in the other parts of the country.
Narrating the plight of 30 women manual scavengers in Radhna Inayatpur village of Mawana (Meerut), a media report carried on the 15th June, 2017, said that they were paid as little as Rs 10 to 50 pe month by a household to clean the dry latrines. It sai that these workers were given stale leftover food and worn-out clothes sometimes, as bonus.
Due to exposure to filth, most of them have multiple health issues like nausea, constant headache, skin and respiratory diseases, trachoma, anemia, carbon monoxide poisoning and diarrhoea including infections like leptospirosis, Hepatitis and Helicobacter.
The report further stated that to avoid the stench, they often smoke beedis. One of the women contacted Tuberculosis forcing her to stop working as a manual scavenger. The worst happens during rainy season, when the excreta slip from the basket on their hairs and shoulders.
The news story said that on March 16, 2017, Union Justice and Empowerment minister had admitted in response to a Parliament question that 13 states and Union Territories reported identification of 12,737 manual scavengers till January, 2017.
The Union government announced ‘Swachch Bharat Mission’ to construct over 12 crore toilets in rural parts of the country. However, the project hardly gave a thought to workers who would be required to clean these toilets. The Scheme also does not have any budgetary allocation to construct sewer lines to dispose the excreta.
The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) set up by the government grants Rs. 40,000 to liberated manual scavengers, which they can withdraw in monthly instalments of not more than Rs.7,000. The process of rehabilitation of women manual scavengers is also tilted as all rehabilitation schemes are aimed at male breadwinners.
As per the media report, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste observed that the expenditure on loans for rehabilitation of manual scavengers in the last three years has been negligible. The identification of manual scavengers is done by the village pradhans.
It has happened in the past that even political leaders name their family members to get the loan. It has also come to light that pradhans failed to identify all manual scavengers in their area. The process of getting loans also becomes difficult as the banks do not trust the community for loans.