New Delhi, 21st February, 2014


The Chairpersons of the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Safai Karmachairs and National Commission for Scheduled Castes have expressed serious concerns over the tardy progress in the abolition of manual scavenging and putting in place better sanitation facilities while addressing the Inaugural Session of the day-long NHRC National Conference on Manual Scavenging and Sanitation in New Delhi today.
Inaugurating the Conference, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that the continuance of manual scavenging manifests violation of rights to life, liberty, dignity and equality. There are several legal provisions and policy initiatives in place to abolish manual scavenging but the delay in its abolition has no justification. It is very shameful that despite six decades of our independence, more than 3 lakh people are still engaged in this inhuman practice.
He said that proper sanitation facilities are basic requirements. Had we put in place better sanitation facilities, lot of money spent on healthcare could have been saved. He said that if local bodies and Panchayats had paid due attention to the policy initiatives by putting in very cost-effective toilet facilities, a discernable change would have been visible by now.
Justice Balakrishnan said that the NHRC is committed to sensitizing all the stakeholders for abolition of manual scavenging. It has taken up the matter at various levels including the State and at the level of the Prime Minister. But going by the action taken reports received by the Commission, it feels that much more needs to be done. The States appear to lack the will and have shown half-hearted attempts to stop this menace. Under the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, there is a mechanism to hold periodic meetings to review the progress in achieving the targets set-out towards abolition of this practice at the level of DMs, CMs and Prime Minister, however, one has not heard about any such meetings having been held.
The NHRC Chairperson said that there is a lack of supervisory mechanism to check the slow implementation of the provisions of 1993 and 2013 Acts mainly because these do not fix responsibility of States. Since the last so many years, not a single prosecution has been made against any person in connection with manual scavenging, despite the legal provisions. States collect money but fail to distribute and as such, it feels that multi-pronged approach is required to bring manual scavengers in the mainstream.
Mr. M. Shivanna, Chairperson, National Commission for Safai Karmacharis said that the problem persists mainly due to poverty and casteism. Dr. P.L. Punia, Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Castes said that the States generally deny existence of dry latrines, however, the 2012 report based on home surveys shows different picture. Giving an insight into various legal framework and policy initiatives of the Government, Dr. Punia said that the visibility on the ground of the expected results is not good. Routine schemes will not work. He gave several suggestions for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers for bringing them into the mainstream, which included, among others, allotment of all parking lots to the manual scavengers.
Earlier, Dr. Parvinder Sohi Behuria, Secretary General, NHRC spoke about the several initiatives of the NHRC. She said that action taken reports from the States have been received. Mr. J.S. Kochcher, Joint Secretary, NHRC raised the concerns on the progress in the light of some major changes made in the new Act of 2013.
The NHRC Members, representatives of National Commissions, Union Ministries, Railway Board, Core Group of NGOs, civil society and various stakeholders will be holding the day-long discussions on the present scenario of manual scavenging and sanitation. The suggestions/recommendations emanating from the deliberations will be sent to the appropriate authorities for implementation.
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