New Delhi: The Supreme Court has vowed to take all necessary steps to eliminate manual scavenging, terming the practice a violation of human dignity.
“This issue is very close to our hearts and minds. We will not let it go. We assure you, we will go to any extent to ensure compliance with our October 2023 judgment, no matter the challenges,” stated a special bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, addressing the central government through Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, reports The Hindu.
The court referred to its October 20, 2023 judgment, which directed the Union and State governments to take concrete measures to eradicate manual scavenging and hazardous cleaning practices. The judgment highlighted that such inhumane occupations persist, often leading to fatalities from asphyxiation.
The bench emphasised that claims of fraternity, equality, and dignity are meaningless if a significant section of society continues to risk their lives by entering sewers for survival. This situation persists even a decade after the enactment of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
“We owe a duty to this marginalised population – people who have remained invisible, voiceless, and systematically trapped in degrading conditions,” the court noted. As part of its ruling, the court increased the compensation for deaths caused by sewer work from ₹10 lakh to ₹30 lakh.
