Total 81 people have died in the state due to manual scavenging, Maharashtra free of such practice: Govt tells HC

Of 81 death cases, 11 were from Mumbai city and suburban districts, 12 from Thane, 7 from Palghar and 2 from Raigad districts.

The affidavit filed through state authority has further claimed that the survey revealed that 124 dry or insanitary latrines/toilets were identified across 498 local bodies in the state, of which 122 were destroyed and a total 11, 234 community sanitary latrines are provided. Two of the dry toilets in Pune division are not yet destroyed.

The affidavit also said that collectors in all 36 districts in Maharashtra have declared their districts free of manual scavenging. However, the petitioners, in their rejoinder to the affidavit, contested the same and stated that “deaths of manual scavengers carrying out hazardous cleaning of sewers, septic tanks and storm drains is continuing unabated, while the government remains in a state of denial.” The rejoinder added that state’s reply was “extremely disappointing and shocking as it discloses no intention of accepting this reality, or of making anything but cosmetic efforts, to change this inhuman and exploitative landscape.”

Pravin Puri, Commissioner, Social Welfare, filed an affidavit earlier this month in response to the previous court order of May 10 on a plea by the organisation Shramik Janata Sangh, and a father of a worker who had died while manual scavenging, argued through senior advocate Gayatri Singh and advocates Sudha Bharadwaj, Hamza Lakdawala and Deepali Kasul.

The affidavit stated that along with 36 District-Level Vigilance Committees consisting of a total 358 members, 180 Sub-Division Vigilance Committees having a total 1,519 members are formed in the state to assist district administration in probing manual scavenging cases and supervise rehabilitation of such workers. “To avoid the death of the manual scavengers, the local bodies should use sophisticated equipment for cleaning. Also, local self-government bodies should outsource the cleaning work of operation in their urban and rural areas,” the affidavit stated.

It added that while approving such a work, the contractor must necessarily use safety equipment such as oxygen mask, hand gloves, shoes, helmet etc and such instructions have been given to municipal bodies.

The affidavit also stated that the survey of manual scavengers was conducted in 396 of 498 local bodies in the state and 1,220 wards/children of such workers were given scholarships and 90 manual scavengers were given residential plots/ houses or financial assistance for the same.

The Social Welfare Commissioner further stated that draft action plan for next two years to take effective steps to eradicate practice of manual scavenging in the state is awaiting the approval of state-level panel headed by the Chief Minister (who is in charge of social justice ministry) and it will be submitted to the court once such a nod is availed.
The HC is likely to hear the plea next on August 14.