The Supreme Court, acknowledging the prolonged suffering of manual scavengers subjected to inhuman conditions, has asked the Central and state governments to entirely eliminate manual scavenging throughout the nation.
Passing a bunch of directions for the benefit of people involved in manual scavenging, the court asked the central and state governments to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of those who die while cleaning sewers.
Quoting B.R. Ambedkar, Justice S Ravindra Bhat emphasized that the battle is not for wealth or power but for freedom and the reclamation of human dignity. The top court increased compensation in cases of sewer-related deaths and injuries, stipulating a minimum compensation of Rs 20 lakh for those who suffer permanent disabilities while cleaning sewers and up to Rs 10 lakh for other injuries.
“The Union and the state governments must ensure that manual scavenging is completely eradicated,” the bench stated.
It issued 14 directives for the effective implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, including measures for the rehabilitation of victims and their families, scholarships for their dependents, and skill development training.
Justice Bhat underlined the constitutional duty to eliminate manual scavenging, emphasizing that true equality can only be achieved by upholding the promise of the Constitution. He cited Article 15(2) of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
It also highlighted the importance of dignity and fraternity in the Constitution and called for their realization to dispel the darkness that has plagued generations of people. The Court issued various directions to prevent such incidents and allowed high courts to monitor cases related to sewer deaths.
The Court has scheduled the PIL for further monitoring on February 1, 2024.
Government data cited in July 2022 revealed that 347 individuals had died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in India over the past five years, with Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi accounting for 40% of these fatalities.
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