The latest data from census 2011 shows that there are still some 2,600,000 insanitary latrines in the country. The practice of manual scavenging is linked to india s caste system where socalled lower castes were expected to perform this job. Manual scavenging is a problem, india is facing since the independence from british. Karnataka to move sc against tamil nadu olive ridley turtle mortality declines in odisha this year. According to a report tabled in the rajya sabha in 2016, 22,327 lose their lives every year due to manual scavenging. The census defines manual scavenger, who cleans a dry latrine or. Such a dangerous and dehumanizing practice even after being made illegal is still active in india. There is no proper census on number of manual scavengers in in india social inclusion of manual scavengers, report of national round table discussion, new delhi, december 21, 2012 manual scavengers are usually from caste groups customarily relegated to the bottom of the caste hierarchy and confined to livelihood tasks viewed as deplorable or. According to the india census 2011, there are more than 2.
Sep 19, 2018 socioeconomic and caste census secc released in 2015, states that there were around 18 million manual scavenging households in rural areas. The latest socioeconomic caste census data released on july 3 reveals that. Census data available in the country on manual scavengers is not accurate. The manmohan singh government approved the socio economic and caste census 2011 to be carried out after discussion in both houses of parliament in 2010. Guidelines for survey on manual scavengers in statutory towns.
Despite progress, manual scavenging persists in india. To ascertain details of the insanitary latrines, open drains, etc. The exact number of manual scavengers remains disputed, but estimates range from 500. The term manual scavenging describes the daily work of manually cleaning and removing feaces from dry nonflush latrines across india. Death of workers engaged in manual scavenging while cleaning the septic tank or sewer sen, j. Manual scavenging a law without enforcement the csr.
Although manual scavenging is banned by law in india, it continues to exist in a large scale. Not only this, but according to the census of 2011, there are more than 2. Nov 30, 2020 the biggest irony in the curious case of manual scavengers is that the indian railways, a government agency, is the biggest employer of manual scavengers in the country. The ecosan toilet designed for this population is an appropriate technology for this arid and economi. A case study of ghazipur district in uttar pradesh found that scavengers who have tried to challenge their status by looking for alternative jobs have had to return to manual scavenging because of. According to the census of india 2011, there are still 794,390 dry latrines in the country, where the human excreta is cleaned up by humans. A 2018 study undertaken by association by rural and urban needy in partnership with centre for equity studies and wateraid india, and supported by the european union, suggests that 1,9 women were engaged in manual cleaning of dry latrines and open drains in just 36 settlements across 4 states. A case study on advocacy processes and strategies of manual. Manual scavengers usually use hand tools such as buckets, brooms and shovels. Manual scavenging is connected to india s class structure dalits wherever questionable lower castes were expected to perform this job. Tracking the history of manual scavenging in india and its. In 1993, india banned the employment of people as manual scavengers. Over 1% of all households in both the urban as well as rural areas continue to rely even today on this practice. This case study is dedicated to the members of scavenger.
Supreme court orders states to abolish manual scavenging, march 28 2014 4 census of india 2011. Introduction the quotation given at the beginning of the paper is from the court order passed by the supreme court of india in a case involving manual scavengers organization against union of india, clearly enunciating the magnitude and. Only states have been able to identify 12,742 manual scavengers. The socio economic and caste census 2011 secc was conducted for the 2011 census of india. Report prepared by solution exchange gender community. Maharashtra has the highest number of manual scavengers at 637. The paper studies also go through the problem of rural sanitation and its impact on socioeconomic dimension of the society. Manual scavenging, indignity and caste in india 914 2. Designated places should as far as possible be close to the wardsbastisareas where manual. In india manual scavenging is a caste based occupation carried out by dalits. In this case study, the term manual scavenger is used for all categories of.
To analyse the socio economic conditions of manual scavengers in india. Distinction between manual scavengers and safai karamcharis. Manual scavenging exists at many sites, including in railways and municipalities, but in this article, it exclusively refers to the cleaning of household dry latrines and carrying away of human excreta by people belonging to a specific caste group. The ongoing socio economic caste census secc, 2011, in rural india is, inter alia, capturing the data about the manual scavengers in rural areas, including the nonstatutory towns. It tries to explore the causes and reasons for the continuance of this social evil in india with a case study of ghazipur district in eastern. A case study of educational initiatives in dantewada. The secc 2011 was conducted in all states and union territories of india and the first findings were revealed on 3 july 2015 by union finance minister. The practice of manual scavenging is prevalent in india from kashmir to. Violence against manual scavenger dalit women in india. Manual scavenging a despised vocation of manually sweeping household dry. The employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines prohibition act, 1993 66 iii. The act should be amended to ensure complete abolition of manual scavenging. Sep 09, 2020 manual scavenging is the process of physicallymanually working in the sanitation process, this includes removal of human excrement from public streets, dry latrines and cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers.
Even after 70 years of independence, manual scavenging still persists in india. There is no common average and the wages vary from place to place. Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and most underprivileged communities in india. Dec 14, 2015 largest number of manual scavengers in india are in maharashtra state. Manual scavenging in india is mostly done by people considered as lower castes or. Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in india. Sep 18, 2018 since manual scavenging is banned, it is one of the unorganized and undocumented sectors in india. India s rail coaches have toilets that drop excreta straightaway on the railway track. Identification and release of manual scavengers 3538 6. Manual scavenging is a caste based and hereditary occupation for.
India is the only country in the world where a particular section of the society is traditionally responsible. There is no significant impact on the socioeconomic status of manual scavengers in india after the implementation of the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act, 20. In reality, however, it is still flourishing in urban india. Importance of community organizations, the judiciary and 2529 other supporting organizations 4. The sanitation crisis in india an urgent need to look. References rashtriya garima abhiyan justice denied. Similarly a study of the indian railways, the largest federal. As per statistics collected from the census of india 2011, there are about 182,505 manual scavengers that still exist in india, mainly in rural areas. Pdf this note deals with the problem of manual scavenging in india as a form of caste and occupationbased social exclusion. The objectives of the study the objectives of the study are to identify the problem faced by manual scavengers, to study the legal measure on abolition of manual scavenging and to identify the huddles in successful implementation of legal measures. Manual scavenging is a term used mainly in india for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling, human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or sewer or in a septic tank or a pit. India mainly women, take their livelihood through manual scavenging c ensus, 2011. There are possibly over 12 lakh manual scavengers across india. However, the manual scavengers are not on the government payroll.
The definition like much of the discourse is centred upon dry latrine cleaning. Oct, 2016 secondary data included the study of historical data like journal publications and other relevant sources, internet research with regard to understanding the global and local scenarios, legislations with regard to manual scavenging, related case studies of other technological interventions occupational safety health act rules and regulations. A case s tudy rajeev kumar singh, ziyauddin this note deals with the problem of manual scavenging in india as a form of caste and occupationbased social exclusion. Pursuant to the awareness campaign, manual scavengers would be expected to file declarationsclaims of being manual scavengers at designated places during the specified period. Problem of sanitation and manual scavenging in india. Manual scavenging csr in india news corporate social. Inclusion and exclusion of dalit in health and education 200809, jan sahasunicef. Manual scavenging is a profession which has been in existence since the human civilization. The still widespread practice of manual scavenging manual scavenging is still widespread in india. In 1997, india prohibited the utilization of individuals as manual scavengers.
For manual scavengers, swachhta is not seva by sumeysh. The prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill, 2012 38 ii. The practice of manual scavenging, officially banned since decades in india, continues with impunity in several states. Manual scavenging is a castebased occupation for dalits. Secc 2011 also counted other aspects like manual scavenging and transgender count in india. Practice of manual scavenging in india international dalit. Sometimes, manual scavengers working with state cleanliness boards as sanitation workers are used for the purpose. Hence, this paper focuses on the eradication of manual scavenging. The census data shows the scenarios from the last three decades. After two decades, in the year 2001, the percentage reached 22 per cent. The inhuman practice of manually removing night soil which involves removal of human excrements from dry. In the year 1981, only 1 per cent of people had rural sanitation facilities. Manual scavenging continues to draw the attention of policymakers, judiciary, executive, civil society organisations and the media. Manual scavengers srms goi, 201718 budget briefs vol 10 issue 5 prepared by.
Assuming there is only one person in those identified households doing manual scavenging, there are at least 182,505 manual scavengers in india. Manual scavenging kesa yeh swaraj hai, sewer mai marta smaj hai saumya singh, university institute of legal studies. Maharashtra 63,7 is followed by madhya pradesh 23,093, uttar pradesh 17,619, tripura 17,332 and karnataka 15,375 and punjab. Most people who make a living as sanitary workers in the cities belong to the balmiki caste which has been doing this job traditionally. Three main survey respondents were in the age group of 25 to 40 years. It is extremely unfortunate to see that manual scavenging is still being practiced in our country. A government survey identifies 12,226 manual scavengers in 12 states. The process of a fresh survey of the manual scavengers in the statutory towns, has been initiated.
Apart from these there are 1,314,652 toilets where the human excreta is. There is thus a need for a more a systematic survey on manual scavengers in all states and union territories, which will help to clearly bring out the number of people engaged in this occupation. The census defines manual scavenger as someone who cleans a dry latrine or carries human waste to dispose it off. According to 2011 census report there are 7, 50,000 families that still work as.
Implications of ending manual scavenging in india 27 dr. Bindeshwar pathak creating an economic value for wastewater through 38 industrial and agricultural reuse joseph ravikumar, rajiv raman and shubhra jain experience of wastewater treatment technologies. The plight and status of manual scavengers in india an overview. In 20, landmark new legislation in the form of the manual scavengers act was passed which seeks to reinforce this ban by prohibiting manual scavenging in all forms and ensures the rehabilitation of manual scavengers to be identified through a mandatory survey. Most septic tanks are emptied manually in indian cities. The study findings reveal that reports, dating back to preindependent india, and traces the 98% of manual scavengers interviewed were women. This comes to around 7% of the 2011 social economic census figure. Census of india 2011 reported 7,94,390 household level insanitary latrines with waste and excreta cleared out by manual scavengers9 1,82,505 families engaged in some form of manual scavenging as per the socio economic caste census secc 201110 in july 2019, a parliament response by the ministry of social justice and empowerment stated. Of these, the quantum of service latrines in which night soil is removed by humans is 800,000. The aim of the case study is to understand the larger context of violation of. The workers have to move the excreta, using brooms and tin plates, into baskets, which they carry.
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