Action against contractors must to end manual scavenging: Panel

The parliamentary committee of the social justice and empowerment ministry has taken a grim view of manual scavenging in 194 districts across 18 states and has recommended strict penal action against contractors using humans to clean sewers and septic tanks.

Statistics before the panel showed manual scavenging exists in 194 districts of 18 states. Though India banned manual scavenging in 1993, only 49 districts have implemented the ban till now. The committee report said that the ministry’s efforts will not succeed unless executing agencies, including municipal bodies, implement the ban. Manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling human excreta in any manner from dry latrines and sewers falls under manual scavenging.

The committee also expressed concern over non-payment of compensation to next of kin of those who died while scavenging.