CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the State government to take stringent action against those who engage people in manual scavenging and directed it to ensure that the cleaning of sewers and manholes is fully mechanised.

Hearing a petition moved by Safai Karmachari Andolan seeking to eradicate manual scavenging and rehabilitate manual scavengers, the first division bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad expressed its displeasure that despite several orders being passed by various courts and laws being enacted, the menace of manual scavenging was still in practice. It then directed the State to strictly follow the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

Further, the bench also directed the government to increase the compensation for victims of manual scavenging every three years. At present, the compensation is Rs 30 lakh for deaths and Rs 20 lakh for injuries.

The bench also directed the State to provide jobs to the family members of deceased victims on compassionate grounds. The court said it had hope that the directions would be scrupulously followed by the State, and posted the matter to August 5 for further submission.