At present times, when the nation is moving ahead, with its "Swachh Bharat Mission"; there lies an obscure road to "Manual Scavenging". To elucidate, Manual Scavenging refers to the cleaning, removing, carrying or disposing off human excreta from streets, gutters and sewers manually.
Can you imagine picking up your own shit? Then what about others' shit? Okay, Maybe not picking up, just diving into a pool of shit? HEINOUS right??
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| Source:Times of India |
Well that's the life of these poor wagers! For a chump change without any safety measures, they risk their lives everyday. Can't they just do something else? Answer is not as simple as the question. These people are pushed into the sombreness of ostracism because they are considered UNTOUCHABLES.
Their families face humiliation, children are treated callously and denied the mere humane treatment. So, even if they try doing some other work, they'll starve to death because no one would let an UNTOUCHABLE near them. Maximum number of Manual Scavengers are Dalits and people from lower castes, who are destined to this terrible fate.
A total number of 53,598 people are occupied as Manual Scavenger & 60% of them are from Uttar Pradesh, and to top that 282 people have died between 2016-2019 (according to Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Data). Though the actual number can be pinned under "unsolved mysteries" in view of the fact that the number of deaths recorded by S.K.A. NGO differs greatly.
Government has tried implementing many laws like "Prohibition of employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013" and A Compensation (10 Lakh Rupees) to the victim's family; but the sincerity of their enforcement is still questionable.
Victims die, unbeknownst to the government officials; not even their names are recorded, let alone the compensation to the families. While Tamil Nadu records maximum numbers of deaths, Gujarat records maximum unpaid compensation cases.
When the world is reaching milestones of development, these unfortunate people are further slipping through the cracks.
I'm filled with pride, thinking of our country's achievements and triumphs but the true sense of honour will be the freedom from Manual Scavenging shackles.
From social acceptance, strict implementation of laws, community specific intervention, to extending the use of mechanised scavenging, we have a long way to go, which is a story for another day.
