NEW DELHI: There have been no deaths because of manual scavenging in past years, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. In February, however, it had said in the Lok Sabha that 340 people had died over the past five years while cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
In response to a question by Mallikarjun Kharge and L Hanumanthaiah on number of deaths due to manual scavenging, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said “no such deaths have been reported”.
The response received a backlash on Twitter, with people calling out the government’s insensitivity to people dying while cleaning sewers/septic tanks. In February, to a question from MP S T Shrangare on the number of deaths due to ‘sewer cleaning/entering sewers’, the ministry had responded that 340 deaths were recorded across 19 states.
According to the government’s working definition, cleaning of sewers/septic tanks is not covered under manual scavenging. According to activists, this allows the government to remain non-accountable on deaths while cleaning sewers.
