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UPSC Issue at a Glance is an initiative of UPSC Essentials to focus your prelims and mains exam preparation on an issue that has been in the news. Every Thursday, cover a new topic in Q&A format and don’t miss MCQs towards the end of the article. This week’s topic is Manual Scavenging in India. Let’s get started!
If you missed last week’s UPSC Issue at a Glance | Social Media, the double-edged sword from the Indian Express, read it here.
Over the past 15 years, a total of 94 people have died while cleaning sewers in Delhi. However, among the 75 cases for which records are available, only one has led to a conviction in court, as revealed by an investigation conducted by The Indian Express using data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. In this context, it is important to understand the broader issue of manual scavenging in India.
Given the importance of social issues in the UPSC CSE syllabus, the topic of manual scavenging is particularly relevant. It highlights critical concerns such as caste discrimination, human rights, sanitation, and government policies. Understanding this issue is essential for addressing contemporary challenges related to inclusive development and social justice. This topic is also relevant for essay writing and current affairs, making it important for candidates preparing for their personality tests.
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and Social development
Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Indian Society, Government Policies & Interventions, Issues Related to SCs & STs, Social empowerment.
What will you learn from this article? |
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The longstanding and stigmatised practice of manual scavenging constitutes a grave human rights violation that undermines the dignity, health, and well-being of those involved. Manual scavenging refers to the manual removal of human excreta from sewers or septic tanks. India banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
From time to time, the government has enacted various legislative and policy measures to prohibit manual scavenging. India first banned manual scavenging in 1993 with the Employment of Manual Scavenging and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act. Since then, several significant initiatives have been introduced over the past three decades.
1. Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR): It is the primary legislation aimed at prohibiting and eliminating manual scavenging in India. The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling in any manner human excreta till its disposal. It recognises manual scavenging as a “dehumanising practice” and cites a need to “correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers.”
| Do you Know? |
| In the case of Safai Karamchari Andolan v. Union of India (2014), the Supreme Court ruled that the government must identify all individuals who have died while working in sewage systems since 1993. Additionally, the court mandated that the families of these workers be compensated with Rs. 10 lakh each. |
2. National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the ‘NAMASTE’ Scheme in July 2023.
It is a central sector scheme. Its objective is to formalise and rehabilitate the persons engaged in hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. NAMASTE scheme envisages the safety and dignity of sanitation workers in India by creating an enabling ecosystem that recognises sanitation workers as one of the key contributors to the operations and maintenance of sanitation infrastructure. In doing so, it provides sustainable livelihood and enhances their occupational safety. It also focuses on capacity building and improved access to safety gear and machines.
Notably, in the Union Budget 2024-25, the NAMASTE scheme was allocated Rs 116.94 crore compared to last year’s Rs 97.41 crore grant.
3. Workshops on Hazardous Cleaning of Sewers and Septic Tanks: Under the Self-Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS), workshops are conducted in municipalities to address the prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. During these workshops, officers, sanitation engineers, inspectors, contractors, and workers are educated about the provisions of the PEMSR Act 2013, as well as the associated rules. (Note: The SRMS scheme has been subsumed in the NAMASTE scheme.)
4. Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSU): The Government of India has advised all states to establish an ERSU in every city. This initiative aims to systematise human entry into sewers and septic tanks by organising a professional, well-trained, motivated, and appropriately equipped workforce.
| National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) |
| NSKFDC is a wholly owned entity of the Government of India, functioning under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It was established on January 24, 1997, as a “Not for Profit” company under the Companies Act of 1956. Since October 1997, it has operated as an apex corporation dedicated to the comprehensive socio-economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis, scavengers, and their dependents across India through a range of loan and non-loan-based schemes. |
Additionally, other initiatives such as the Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan and the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge have been implemented. Under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, guidelines have been established to promote the welfare of sanitation workers.
Notably, there are also measures in place for supporting the education of children of persons engaged in manual scavenging to liberate the next generations from this work, which includes a pre-matriculation scholarship scheme and education loans.
Data from 2018 to 2023 reveals that over 400 people died while cleaning septic tanks and sewers.
Despite the ban on manual scavenging in India, the practice continues in many regions of the country. Some of the reasons behind the prevalence of this issue are:
1. Lack of Enforcement of Rules: Since 1993, India has had a law banning manual scavenging. In 2013, the law was updated to require employers to provide 44 types of protective gear to workers involved in cleaning septic tanks and sewers. However, according to data from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 443 workers lost their lives between 2018 and 2023 while performing this dangerous task. This figure illustrates the lack of enforcement of rules and regulations by the relevant authorities.
According to Express Opinion “Express investigation of manual scavenging: The apathy must end”- “Several independent surveys have talked about the continued reluctance on the part of state governments to admit that the practice prevails under their watch. Unable to provide safety equipment, municipalities live in denial. Employers are rarely held accountable when manual labourers succumb to the perils of their jobs.
From the police being unable to trace the culprits to the investigating officers not cooperating with the judiciary or failing to appear before the courts, it reveals the apathy of law-enforcing agencies.”
2. Limited employment opportunities : One key factor contributing to the prevalence of manual scavenging is the lack of alternative employment opportunities for the communities involved. Many manual scavengers find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty and social exclusion, with limited access to education and skill development programs that could offer them other livelihood options. As a result, the absence of economic alternatives compels them to continue working in manual scavenging to survive.
| Do you know? |
| India is a signatory to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the continued prevalence of manual scavenging in the country hinders progress toward achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation); Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 10 (Reduce inequalities) and Goal 16, (Promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions). |
3. Existence of Caste Hierarchy: Caste hierarchies and the resulting oppression are deeply ingrained in society, causing even educated individuals to experience exclusion and discrimination in their quest for meaningful and dignified employment.
Manoj Kumar Jha and Pragya Srivastava write- “Caste is an overbearing reality. It is not simply a tag of identity but dictates a way of life. It continues to reinforce inequality as a basic value and the allocation of labour is one of its prime manifestations. Caste hierarchy reinforces occupational hierarchy and the idea of occupational purity and pollution are further embedded in the lives of individuals.
As B R Ambedkar pointed out, caste leads not only to the division of labour but of labourers as well. Dalits often face discrimination when seeking employment in sectors that are considered “pure”. Manual scavenging or cleaning of dry latrines, for instance, is a job that the Dalit classes have been burdened with.
Ambedkar had observed that “in India, a man is not a scavenger because of his work. He is a scavenger because of his birth irrespective of the question whether he does scavenging or not”.
According to government data, 97 per cent of manual scavengers are Dalits. The breakdown of numbers reveals that 42,594 manual scavengers belong to Scheduled Castes, 421 belong to Scheduled Tribes and 431 belong to Other Backward Classes. These statistics are disturbing, a reminder of our collective failure to rise above caste lines and provide dignity of labour to all.”
According to Express Opinion “Express investigation of manual scavenging: The apathy must end”-
“Government initiatives to end manual scavenging have fallen short of their objectives because they do not adequately account for the social conditions that force people to plumb toxic cesspools.
Civil society groups have, for long, argued that fixing the problem is difficult without acknowledging that it operates at the intersections of caste, economic inequalities and the deficits of the country’s sewerage networks — most septic tanks are not amenable to new technology and machines are too big to operate in the narrow bylanes of dense urban areas.
The failings, as this newspaper’s investigation shows, are at multiple levels. A government that counts the Swachh Bharat Mission among its successes needs to do more for the safety and well-being of the workers at the frontlines of its cleanliness projects.”
Government efforts to eliminate manual scavenging have not fully succeeded. It has been argued that resolving this issue is challenging without recognising its connection to caste, economic disparities, and the deficiencies in the country’s sewerage systems. In this context, the following steps should be taken:
1. Rehabilitation through Skill Development: To break the cycle of manual scavenging, it is crucial to rehabilitate and empower individuals through skill development. Additionally, the rehabilitation process for manual scavengers should be connected to schemes like MNREGA that allow them to start earning immediately.
2. Technology-Enabled Innovative Tools: Significant progress is needed to fully mechanise the cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. Embracing technology to develop innovative tools and machinery is essential to replace manual scavenging. We should adopt decentralised innovations that are people-centred, sustainable, equitable, and contribute to economic growth.
3. Collaboration Between the State and Society:Efforts must be collectively made to eliminate manual scavenging.
V R Raman and Kanika Singh write- “Both the state and society would need to adopt a stronger resolve to stop engaging individuals in manual scavenging, eliminate all possible manual interfaces of workers with faecal matter and fight for the rights of those communities and people engaged in manual scavenging to a dignified life, free from all discrimination and exploitation.”
It is also critical to ensure the accountability of the concerned ministries and their officials, including the ministries of education and social justice and empowerment, to ensure proper education and support for the children of these communities.
Manoj Kumar Jha and Pragya Srivastava write- “Manual scavenging in the 21st century sounds an abhorrent alarm about caste domination. The failure to acknowledge it is deplorable. We must show impatience and a sense of urgency. Equality, the dignity of labour, and justice have waited for too long.”
Prelims
1. ‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to (UPSC CSE 2016)
(a) rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
(b) release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
(c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
(d) release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them
2. Consider the following statements with reference to the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme:
1. It is a Central Sector Scheme.
2. Its objective is to formalize and rehabilitate the persons engaged in hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.
3. Self-Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers has been subsumed in the NAMASTE scheme.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Onr only
(b) Two only
(c) All three
(d) None
3. Consider the following pairs:
1. Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
2. Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
3. Goal 10: Promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions
4. Goal 16: Reduce inequalities
Which of the pairs given above is correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Mains
What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots? Discuss the initiatives that can propel the research in premier research institutes for substantive and gainful innovation. (UPSC CSE 2015)
| Prelims Answer Key |
| 1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (a) |
(Source: Delhi’s dirty secret: For 75 sewer deaths over 15 years, only one conviction, Explained: What is manual scavenging, and why is it still prevalent in India?, Failure to acknowledge existence of manual scavenging is deplorable, Express investigation of manual scavenging: The apathy must end)
PREVIOUS ISSUE AT A GLANCE
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Food Inflation
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Section 6A and Citizenship
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