Manual scavenging utterly inhuman, must stop: HC

“We take advantage of their innocence and send them down a pit where hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and slow methane poisoning takes place and this cannot go on in any civilised place, ” the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed while hearing a plea moved by NGO Safai Karamchari Andolan citing six such deaths this year alone

Pointing out that the invertible caste system practices with an element of untouchability and using harijans to get the work done still prevails, the Chief Justice said, “These are the lowest of the low and some of them are not normal in our terms as they have reduced themselves to that kind of work.”“Whether any manual scavenging is undertaken, directly or indirectly this must be stopped. It is inhuman. There is a statute that prohibits it. In certain cases, where all gadgets are available, you don’t need to send human beings down in pits, “ the Chief Justice held while noting that the Court views the matter as serious and “heads have to roll” if it is found that manual scavenging has been engaged directly or indirectly by State authorities. He further slammed the government for resorting to laying blame on contractors.

“If not directly, manual scavengers are often employed indirectly through contractors to minimise costs or to evade responsibility for engaging such workers, ” the Chief Justice noted. Also, while seeking the government to get serious about the issue, for the practice of manual scavenging has to be stopped, the court directed the government to enquire and compensate the families

The plea is scheduled to be taken up for further hearing on Tuesday when information from all districts, including municipal corporations, on the alleged violations complained is expected to be placed.