Act tough on manual scavenging, government told

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, before whom a PIL filed by Safai Karmachari Andolan of Chennai stating inaction on the part of the state to abolish manual scavenging came up, said, “It is imperative that the authorities immediately took steps to ensure that there is no contravention of Sections 5, 6, and 7 of the said Act, which prohibits persons from engagement or employment for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.” 

The bench, while making the above observation, also issued notice to Su Sreenivasan, Assistant Solicitor General, appearing on behalf of Union of India and MK Subramanian, government pleader, appearing on behalf of state government and posted the matter for further hearing to August 21, 2017.

The petitioner had submitted that as per an RTI enquiry from January 1, 2014, to March 20, 2017, a total of 30 persons had lost their lives to manual scavenging in Chennai, Tiruvallur , Cuddalore, Madurai, Tiruchy, Villupuram, and Virudhunagar districts, despite the Act prohibiting manual scavenging coming into vogue four years ago. 

The plea further noted that a survey conducted by Tamil Nadu Government revealed that as on June 13, 2017, there were as many as 363 manual scavengers in the urban areas, while there was none in the rural areas. 

The plea had sought the court to direct the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Employment, and the state to forebear from engaging directly or indirectly manual scavengers, including through contractors.