“Why India Must End Manual Scavenging: Mechanise Septic Tank Cleaning Now”

UPSC Relevance– Prelims –Covers the Manual Scavenging Act, NAMASTE Scheme, and Swachh Bharat Mission, including data on safety equipment and urban governance. Mains –Crucial for GS Paper II (Governance, Social Justice) and GS Paper IV (Ethics, Dignity of Labour). Also relevant for essays on urbanisation, state capacity, and policy implementation, with scope to use examples for case studies.

Why in News

A recent social audit tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Social Justice exposed the dangerous extent of manual septic tank cleaning in India despite legal bans and reform schemes like NAMASTE (2023). The audit highlights the death of 150 sanitation workers in just two years, and points to widespread implementation failure and negligence at multiple levels of governance.

Background: The Fight Against Manual Scavenging

Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning human excreta from dry latrines, sewers, or septic tanks. To abolish this dehumanising occupation, India passed the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Later, the government launched the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) in 2023 to modernise sanitation services and rehabilitate affected workers

.Current Situation:

• As of 2021, India had 58,098 manual scavengers, with women making up 75% of them.
• By July 31, 2024, 732 out of 766 districts in India reported being free from manual scavenging.

Violation of Fundamental Rights:
 Manual scavenging violates fundamental rights, particularly:

• Article 17: Abolition of untouchability
• Article 21: Right to life with dignity
• SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989:
  • This act criminalises the employment of scheduled castes in manual scavenging.

Yet, despite laws and schemes, the practice persists due to weak enforcement, lack of funding, and contractual loopholes.

Key Challenges in Implementing Mechanised Cleaning

1. Contractual Exploitation and Liability Shifting

The audit found that only 5 out of 54 workers who died were officially employed by the government; the rest were hired by private contractors or “loaned” from public departments. This murky employment chain allows governments and contractors to evade legal responsibility in case of accidents or deaths.

Example: In many cases, public-sector workers are officially recorded as “loaned” to private parties—obscuring the true employer and delaying compensation or justice for the deceased’s family.

2. Inadequate Provision of Safety Gear and Training

According to the government’s own data, 57,758 workers are involved in hazardous cleaning, but only 16,791 PPE kits were distributed. Fewer than 14,000 workers received health cards, and just 837 safety workshops were held across over 4,800 urban local bodies (ULBs).

Example: Most workers entering septic tanks lack oxygen masks or protective suits, which exposes them to toxic gases like methane and hydrogen sulfide—often leading to instant suffocation or long-term health issues.

3. Underfunded Reforms and Weak Monitoring

Only ₹14 crore has been released under the NAMASTE scheme so far—an amount insufficient even for one large city’s cleaning needs. In the absence of capital subsidies, municipalities continue to accept manual cleaning bids due to cost-cutting or inertia.

Example: Government tenders often do not mandate the use of robotic or mechanical cleaning equipment, despite its availability, thus indirectly encouraging unsafe practices.

4. Rural Sanitation Workers Remain Invisible

The majority of sanitation workers in rural India are not yet profiled or registered under any national schemes, including NAMASTE. Their work remains informal, undocumented, and unprotected—making them vulnerable to both exploitation and social ostracism.

Example: In many gram panchayats, women still sweep dry latrines manually, with no access to safety tools, wages, or rehabilitation pathways.

5. Judicial Orders Ignored by Local Authorities

Despite repeated Supreme Court directions—such as cancelling unsafe sanitation contracts and holding principal employers liable—there is no uniform implementation at the ground level. Deaths are often recorded as accidents, and low-ranking supervisors are blamed instead of institutional heads.

Example: In several FIRs related to sanitation deaths, police avoid invoking sections of culpable homicide, letting municipal corporations and contractors off the hook.

Major Challenges Faced by Manual Scavengers

1. Health Risks:
   ○ Exposure to human waste and harmful pathogens increases vulnerability to diseases like Hepatitis, tetanus, and cholera.
   ○ Poisonous gases, such as hydrogen sulphide, in septic tanks pose asphyxiation risks, leading to fatalities.
   ○ Between 2019-2023, 377 deaths were recorded due to hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning.
2. Social Stigma:
   ○ Manual scavengers face deep social exclusion, being treated as untouchables and reinforcing caste-based discrimination.
3. Economic Struggles:
   ○ They are paid very low wages, often below the minimum wage, with no job security or benefits, trapping them in poverty.
4. Double Discrimination:
   ○ Women, who make up a large portion, face dual discrimination—gender inequality, sexual harassment, and societal stigma.
5. Psychological Impact:
   ○ The stigma leads to mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
6. Drug Dependency:
   ○ To cope with stress and societal exclusion, many manual scavengers turn to drug use, worsening their physical and mental health.
   Supreme Court Guidelines on Manual Scavenging (Dr. Balram Singh Case, 2023)
   The Supreme Court issued 14 directives to the Union, States, and Union Territories (UTs) aimed at completely eradicating manual scavenging. Key guidelines include:
   • Eradication of Manual Sewer Cleaning:
     ○ Phased measures to eliminate manual sewer cleaning.
   • Rehabilitation of Sewage Workers:
     ○ Compensation for death (Rs 30 lakh) and disabilities (Rs 10-20 lakh).
     ○ Employment for the next of kin and educational support for dependents.
   • Accountability for Outsourced Work:
     ○ Accountability mechanisms for contractors, including contract cancellations and penalties.
   • NALSA Involvement in Compensation:
     ○ The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) will oversee compensation disbursement and establish models.
   • Monitoring and Transparency:
   • ○ A dedicated portal will track deaths, compensation, and rehabilitation efforts

Emerging Success Stories

Not all is bleak. Some states have taken proactive steps to mechanise cleaning and rehabilitate workers:

• Odisha has provided verified workers with PPE kits and access to mechanised desludging vehicles.
• Tamil Nadu deployed sewer robots in Chennai, successfully cleaning over 5,000 manholes—thus preventing human entry into sewers.

Example: The use of robotic devices like “Bandicoot” in Chennai has helped eliminate the need for manual scavenging while ensuring worker safety and dignity.

These examples show that political will, investment in technology, and accountability mechanisms can reverse the trend.

Way Forward

1. Mandatory Mechanisation and Legal Compliance

All sewer and septic tank cleaning should be mechanised and carried out only by certified operators. Operating without a licence should be made a cognisable offence under municipal laws.

2. Scale-Up Worker Ownership and Training

The government should provide low-interest loans for sanitation workers to purchase and operate mechanised equipment. These should be linked to guaranteed service contracts from municipalities.

3. Extend NAMASTE to Rural India

NAMASTE should be expanded to include rural sanitation workers, with a dedicated Swachh Bharat Rural budget allocation for septic tank desludging.

4. Inclusive Rehabilitation and Social Security

• Ensure housing, health coverage, and education scholarships for families of deceased or retired sanitation workers.
• Prioritise Dalit and women workers, who remain the most stigmatised and excluded.

Example: Despite making up two-thirds of validated sanitation workers, Dalits receive limited access to rehabilitation benefits, perpetuating caste-based occupational traps.

5.OHS Standards:

• Recognize sanitation work as a hazardous occupation under the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020 (OSH Code 2020) to improve safety standards and enforcement.

6.Health Screenings:

• Implement regular health screenings for sanitation workers, focusing on respiratory and skin conditions, with clear treatment and prevention protocols.

7.Expansion of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM):

• Extend the Swachh Bharat Mission to include the health, safety, and dignity of sanitation workers, ensuring their empowerment and protection.

Conclusion: A Moral and Policy Imperative

Despite laws, court orders, and schemes like NAMASTE, manual scavenging tragically persists. This reflects a deep enforcement failure and lack of political will.

To ensure dignity, safety, and social justice, India must urgently mechanise sanitation, enforce strict accountability, and provide rehabilitation to affected communities.

Ending this practice is not just about technology — it’s a constitutional obligation and a civilisational duty.

UPSC Prelims PYQs Q. With reference to the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013”, consider the following statements:(Prelims 2019) It prohibits the employment of manual scavengers and the construction of insanitary latrines. The act provides for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers in alternative employment. Offences under the act are not cognisable and non-bailable. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  A. 1 and 2 only  B. 1 and 3 only  C. 2 and 3 only  D. 1, 2 and 3  Answer: A. 1 and 2 only Mains GS Paper II   Q. “Despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the practice of manual scavenging continues unabated in India.” Discuss the reasons for the persistence of this practice and suggest effective measures to eliminate it.( upsc 2020) (250 words)