NHRC Calls for Action to Prevent Manual Scavenging Deaths

Bhubaneswar– The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is demanding answers from authorities following the continued deaths of laborers cleaning sewers and septic tanks across India. The NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Delhi and the District Magistrates of Darbhanga (Bihar), Kozhikode (Kerala), Cuttack (Odisha), and Tiruvallur (Tamil Nadu) on December 8th, demanding an Action Taken Report (ATR) within six weeks.

The move comes after a petition filed by activist and advocate Radhakanta Tripathy brought the issue to the NHRC's attention. Tripathy highlighted the recent deaths of sanitation workers in Delhi, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other states, citing data from the Central government revealing 453 deaths since 2014. This statistic is particularly concerning given that 732 of India's 766 districts have declared themselves free from manual scavenging.

The NHRC expressed serious concern over the state authorities' inability to prevent these deaths, despite Supreme Court directives and the NHRC's own advisory. The Commission also directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to implement measures to prevent these tragedies. The NHRC has also asked the authorities to submit the ATR within six weeks of receiving the order.

Tripathy emphasized that these deaths are not only a violation of human rights but also of Supreme Court orders on preventing manual scavenging. He further pointed out that the victims, predominantly from the Dalit community, face discrimination and a clear violation of the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

The activist called for the NHRC's intervention to ensure proper rehabilitation for the families of the deceased and urged for exemplary action plans to prevent future incidents. He stressed that the lack of robust policies reflects a societal disregard for the issues faced by marginalized communities in India.