MANUAL SCAVENGING DEATHS

July 10, 2019

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment informed Lok Sabha that 88 people died in manual scavenging related deaths in the past three years.

Key highlights of Data Provided in Lok Sabha:

The number of deaths of sanitation workers while cleaning septic tanks and sewers has risen, despite a ban on manual scavenging.
620 manual scavenging related deaths have been reported since 1993, of which 88 occurred in the past three years.
Of the 15 States/UTs that submitted details to the Ministry, Tamil Nadu had the highest number of sewer deaths with 144 cases, followed by Gujarat with 131.
Compensation had been given in 445 cases, partial settlement in 58 cases, while 117 cases were pending.
While the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 lays down punishments for those who employ a person for manual scavenging, “there have been no reports from any state/Union Territory regarding conviction in such cases”.
53,598 manual scavengers had been identified from December 6, 2013 till June 30, 2019.