Monday, November 12, 2018

SEP 18 SI 7 5 10 Manual Scavenging SWACHHATA HI SEVA CAMPAIGN

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7.6. MANU AL SC AV E NGI NG


Why in news?

Recent deaths of five manual scavengers in Delhi highlights  how  the  practice  of  manual scavenging still persists.

What is Manual Scavenging?

The   International    Labour    Organisation defines it as the removal of human excreta from public streets and dry latrines, and cleaning septic tanks, severs and gutters.

Legal Position on Manual Scavenging

•   Manual  scavenging  is  prohibited  by  both

Some facts on Manual Scavenging in India
The Census of India in 2011 established that more than 2.6 million dry latrines exist in India.
According  to  Census  of  India  2011,  there  are  740,078 households across the country where human excreta is removed by a person from a dry latrine.
In addition, the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 said that there are 182,505 families in rural India engaged in manual scavenging.
According  to  National  Commission  for  Safai  Karamcharis (NCSK) since January 1, 2017, one person has died every five days, on an average, while cleaning sewers and septic tanks across the country.

international instruments, and Indian law. International agencies such as the UNICEF (as a water and sanitary issue), the WHO (as a health issue), the UNDP and the ILO have all called for an end to the practice.
India’s Constitution bans the practice of untouchability, and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, prohibits compelling anyone to practice manual scavenging.
Aimed specifically at ending manual scavenging, The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 declared the employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry toilets to be punishable with fines and imprisonment.
Superseding the 1993 Act, the 2013 Act goes beyond prohibitions on dry latrines, and outlaws all manual excrement cleaning of insanitary latrines, open drains, or pits. And, importantly, it recognizes a constitutional obligation to correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by manual scavenging communities by providing alternate livelihoods and other assistance.

However, despite such legal and constitutional safeguards, manual scavengers remain victims of discrimination. There are a number of reasons for this.

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•   Firstly, sanitation being a State subject, it requires States’ support.
•   Secondly,  the law requires  that the

rehabilitation of scavengers has to be carried out as per the existing schemes, even though these very schemes have not been successful in eradicating the practice in the past.
Thirdly, it is not just the law but the attitude of public authorities which aggravates the plight of the scavengers. The Government has repeatedly sought an extension of deadline to curb the problem, exhibiting lack of commitment.

Problems     associated     with     Manual
Scavenging

Every   year,   hundreds   of   manual scavengers die, asphyxiated by poisonous  gases.  According  to data collated by the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) there have been 634 deaths related to manual scavenging since 1993, with Tamil Nadu reporting the highest number of such deaths at 194, followed by Gujarat 122, Karnataka
68 and Uttar Pradesh 51. The figure
may change as the process of collecting details from states and updating the data is going on.
Manual   scavenging   is  not   only  a caste-based but also a gender-based occupation with 90 per cent of them being women. Households with dry latrines prefer  women to clean the

Related constitutional provisions

The  Constitution  of  India,  in  conformity  with  the  international position, abolishes untouchability (Art. 17) and prohibits caste-based discrimination (Art. 15).
Under the Constitution human dignity is an inalienable right which is part of the fundamental right to life under Art. 21.
•    It  is  a  universally  recognized  right,  endorsed  by  the  Universal
Declaration of Human Rights by way of Articles 1, 22 and 23.

Current law on Manual Scavenging

•    The  Parliament  has  enacted  the  ‘Prohibition  of Employment as
Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013’.
•    It came into force on Dec 6th 2013 in whole of country, except
Jammu & Kashmir.
•    It intends to
o  Eliminate the insanitary latrines.
o Prohibit Employment as Manual Scavengers, Hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
o  Survey of Manual Scavengers and their rehabilitation
The Act thus prohibits dry latrines and all kinds of manual cleaning of excrement as well as cleaning gutters, sewers, and septic tanks without protective gear.
Under section 8 of this Act, a person violating this will be punishable with imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to I2 lakh or both. For any subsequent violations, the imprisonment may extend up to five years and the fine can go up to I5 lakh or both.
The Act also has following provisions for the rehabilitation of the identified manual scavengers
o  An initial one-time cash assistance
o  Scholarship to the children of manual scavenger
o  Allotment of residential plot and financial assistance for house
construction of a ready built house
o  Training in a livelihood skill with payment of stipend of at least
Rs 3000 per month
o Provision for subsidy, along with concessional loans, to at least one adult member of the family.

excreta instead of men as they are located inside the house. According to a Human Rights Watch report, on an average, women get paid as little as between Rs 10 and Rs 50 every month per household. It is much less than men who earn up to Rs 300 a day for cleaning sewer lines.
Manual scavengers are exposed to the most virulent forms of viral and bacterial infections that affect their skin, eyes, and limbs, respiratory and gastro-intestinal systems.
The practice of caste-based exclusion and discrimination shows failure of access and entitlements not only to economic rights, but also to civil, cultural and political rights. It involves what has been described as “living mode  exclusion”;  exclusion  from political  participation  and exclusion  and disadvantage  from social and economic opportunities.
A vicious cycle of poverty and social immobility- Undermined physical capacity and the feeling of vulnerability and hopelessness associated with this form of discrimination triggers a vicious cycle of impoverishment, low educational attainment, and social immobility for manual scavengers and their families.

Why it still Persists?

•   While legally manual scavenging is banned, caste apartheid and poverty perpetuate this practice.
Scavenging does not require any skill and provides some additional income with no competition, investment and risk.


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These features coupled with the need for cleaning dry latrines and a lack of alternatives, force the scavengers, particularly women, to continue in this occupation.
It   has   also   been   found   that   in   certain   cases, scavengers also face a difficulty in taking up other occupations like running shops due to the prevailing social prejudices.

Way Forward


Ministry  of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment  is responsible for rehabilitation of manual scavengers and it implements the ‘Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers’ (SRMS).
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has associated reputed NGOs like Safai Karamchari Andolan, Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan, Sulabh International etc. for identification of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation.


Immediate steps should include holding officials accountable for properly enforcing relevant laws, including the 2013 Act and The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The   Ministry   of   Social   Justice   and   Empowerment   is conducting a survey to identify manual scavengers. The first phase has identified 53236 manual scavenger across 12 states. There is a need to extend the survey to whole country and create a reliable database so as to extend benefits of 2013 Act to intended beneficiaries.
•   Recently  Centre  launched  a  challenge  asking  innovators,


Technological   Solutions   to   end   manual scavenging
Hyderabad Municipality has deployed 70 mini jetting machines. These mini vehicles can have easy access to the narrow  lanes  and  smaller  colonies  to clear the choked sewer pipes (drainages).
Bandicoot- India’s first ‘manhole cleaning robot’ is an exoskeleton robot which cleans manholes without the need for humans to enter the pit.

NGOs, research institutions, companies and cities to propose technology and business solutions to clean urban sewers and septic tanks without human entry.
Dalits  must  be  empowered  through  education  and  economic  uplift.  As  per  NCSK  data,  the  Rs 10  lakh compensation that is mandated under law in case of manual scavenging deaths, has been paid in only 70 of the 123 cases since January 2017. Compensation should be paid immediately.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should make expansion of the sewer network a top priority and come up with a scheme for scientific maintenance that will end manual cleaning of septic  tanks to achieve its target of eradicating manual scavenging by 2019.
A determined approach to end this practice requires a campaign against social prejudice and caste based discrimination.

SWAC HHAT A HI SE V A CAMPAI GN

Why in news?

Recently, Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) Campaign was launched.





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About the Campiagn

It is a (jan andolan) the second edition of the campaign launched in 2017, which aims at accelerating the vision for a Clean India.

•   Objectives of SHS
o Accelerate the momentum of Swachh
Bharat     in     the     run-up     to     its
4th anniversary.
o Re-energise   the   Swachh   Bharat Jan Andolan and lay down the foundation of sustainability
o Reinforce the concept of “Sanitation as everyone’s business”
o Commence        Mahatma        Gandhi’s
150th birth  year  celebrations  with  a
nationwide campaign
It   also   aims   at   engaging   sharamdan activities  with  huge  community mobilisation through grassroot swachhata champions such as woman sarpanches, students,  film  celebrities,  sports  persons etc.
The  Campaign  also  aims  to  engage  with media which has been playing crucial role in creating awareness about the Swachh Bharat Mission.


Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Campaign
It is a nationwide campaign and the biggest ever cleanliness drive in the country.
The goal is to achieve Swachh Bharat by 2019, as a tribute to the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by improving the levels of cleanliness in rural areas and making Gram Panchayats Open Defecation Free (ODF).
•    Specific Objectives:
o Elimination of open defecation.
o Conversion of insanitary toilets to pour flush toilets.
o Eradication of manual scavenging.
o 100% collection  and scientific processing/disposal/reuse/
recycling of municipal solid waste.
o A behavioral change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices
o Generation of awareness among citizens about sanitation and its linkages with public health.
o Supporting urban local bodies in designing, executing and operating waste disposal systems.
o Facilitating     private-sector     participation     in     capital expenditure and operation and maintenance costs for sanitary facilities.


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