The National Human Rights Commission has organized a day long National Conference on Manual Scavenging and Sanitation at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi on the 21st February, 2014. Addressing the Inaugural Session, the Chairpersons of the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Safai Karmacharis and National Commission for Scheduled Castes expressed serious concerns over the tardy progress in the abolition of manual scavenging and putting in place better sanitation facilities.
Justice Shri K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that the continuance of manual scavenging manifests violation of rights to life, liberty, dignity and equality. If the local bodies had paid due attention to the policy initiatives by putting in cost-effective toilet facilities, a discernable change would have been visible by now. It is very shameful that despite six decades of independence from the British rule more than 3 lakh people were still engaged in manual scavenging in India. The delay in abolition of manual scavenging cannot be justified by merely quoting laws and policies put in place to address the problem. Also, a lot of money spent on healthcare could have been saved if better sanitation facilities were put in place. Going by the action taken reports in response to the Commission's notices it appears that the States 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, at the level of DMs, CMs and Prime Minister, to review the progress in achieving the targets setout towards abolition of this practice. However, one has not heard about any such meetings having been held, despite the Commission's letters to the top functionaries at the Centre and State level.
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 related to manual scavenging, 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.
Earlier, Shri 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 satisfactory. Routine schemes will not work. He gave several suggestions for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers to bring them into the mainstream which included, among others, allotment of all parking lots to them.
Dr. Parvinder Sohi Behuria, Secy. General, NHRC spoke about the several initiatives of the NHRC. She said that action taken reports from the States have been received. Shri J.S. Kochher, Jt. Secretary, NHRC raised the concerns on the progress on the issues of manual sca-vengers after the enactment of the new 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013'.
The NHRC Members, Justice Shri Cyriac Joseph, Justice Shri D. Murugesan and Shri Satyabrata Pal, representatives of National Commissions, Union Ministries, Railway Board, Core Group of NGOs, civil society and various stakeholders participated in the discussions on the present scenario of manual scavenging and sanitation. The suggestions/ recommendations will be sent to the Government for implementation.