AHMEDABAD: Gujarat's official record on manual scavenging has come under severe scrutiny after the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment informed Parliament that the state identified 105 manual scavengers in the 2018 survey, while 7,648 sewer and septic tank workers have been validated under the NAMASTE scheme. The Ministry also said 27 sanitation workers died during hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning operations in the state between January 2021 and June 2026.
The data was tabled in the Lok Sabha on July 21 in replies to two separate unstarred questions.
According to the parliamentary reply, Gujarat accounted for 105 of the 44,217 manual scavengers identified across the country in the 2018 survey. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number at 20,884, followed by Maharashtra with 6,325 and Uttarakhand with 4,854.
Under the NAMASTE scheme, Gujarat has validated 7,648 sewer and septic tank workers, the fourth-highest in the country after Uttar Pradesh (12,463), Maharashtra (8,782) and West Bengal (7,630).
The parliamentary reply also stated that "no report of the practice of manual scavenging has been received in the recent survey conducted in all districts." However, it said 332 sanitation workers died during hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks across the country between January 2021 and June 2026.
Of these, Gujarat recorded 27 deaths, the fourth-highest in the country after Maharashtra (58), Haryana (47) and Tamil Nadu (38). Uttar Pradesh reported 37 deaths.
Under the NAMASTE scheme, Gujarat has provided 7,345 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to its 7,648 validated sewer and septic tank workers. Nationally, 2,878 of the 89,915 validated workers are yet to receive PPE kits.
The state has also been allotted 32 safety devices for Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs). The Ministry said the equipment includes safety helmets with torches, safety tripods, axial fan blowers, anti-static conduits, full-body water suits and multi-gas detectors.
The NAMASTE scheme, launched in 2023, has seen Rs 203.66 crore released nationally, of which Rs 175.83 crore has been spent. The Ministry said the scheme does not have a state-wise allocation of funds.
