In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of five states asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for failing to prevent manual scavenging deaths despite its 2023 directions.
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a PIL by Dr Balram seeking eradication of manual scavenging.
Amicus Senior Advocate K Parameshwar submitted that 46 deaths were reported in 2025 and 54 in 2024 as per Parliament data. State-wise, Maharashtra reported 17 deaths in 2024, Tamil Nadu 12, Rajasthan 13, besides Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
Hearing these submissions, the top court said, "Still deaths are occurring, you start putting the blame on contractors...we will fix the responsibility."
It observed, the court will summon Chief Secretaries and initiate suo moto contempt action.
The apex court directed the Chief Secretaries to file affidavits within 4 weeks showing cause why contempt should not be initiated for wilful disobedience of its October 2023 order which enhanced compensation to Rs 30 lakh and the January 2025 ban in 6 metros.
"The directions issued by this Court seem not to have percolated and sufficient remedial steps have not taken place. In fact, starred questions have also been raised on 18.3.2026, and it is recorded as annexure to the starred question number 276 regarding hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning work and State-wise deaths during the last three years 2023, 2024 and 2025 are as under.... In view of the same, we hereby call upon the Chief Secretaries of the following States to showcause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated or willfuly disobedience. The same shall be required vide an affidavit within four weeks," the Court said.
The apex court passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr Balram Singh seeking to prevent sewer cleaning and manual scavenging.
In October 2023, the Supreme Court passed a slew of directions to eradicate the menace. It also enhanced the compensation in cases of sewer deaths to Rs. 30 lakhs.
Then, in January 2025, it completely banned manual scavenging and sewer cleaning in six metropolitan cities. Since then, it has been monitoring the matter and issuing necessary directions to the authorities when those directions have not been implemented.
