Need state bodies to put an end to manual scavenging, says panel

The non-statutory body made the recommendation in its annual report submitted to the Social Justice and Empowerment ministry. 
Manual scavenging is still rampant throughout the country.
Manual scavenging is still rampant throughout the country.

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) has recommended that all states across India should have individual state safai karamchari commissions in order to end the practice of manual scavenging. 

The non-statutory body made the recommendation in its annual report submitted to the Social Justice and Empowerment ministry. 

Even though the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 outlaws manual scavenging, the ground reality is different with people still being employed in the manual cleaning of dry toilets, sewer and septic tanks. 

“We have recommended the need for state-level commissions or designated agencies so that there is better monitoring of the ground situation to check if manual scavenging continues. This will also ensure that safai karamcharis are not exploited, there is less outsourcing of work and more permanent posts are filled for safai karamcharis,” Narain Das, secretary, NCSK, said.  

Currently, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Odisha, Goa, Tamil Nadu have state-level commissions or designated agencies to look after the work of the state level commissions across the country.

More manpower would also help officials clamp down on people employing manual scavengers and raising general awareness on the issue, NCSK officials said. In its recent state survey in Bihar, the Commission recommended a resurvey of 16 districts in the state as a part of the ongoing national survey to identify manual scavengers. 

National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is the nodal agency for conducting the survey.

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