{Dalit History Month Special} Empowering 'SANIPRENEURS': Leaders & Communities Join Forces to Address Sanitation and Scavenging Challenges

New Delhi- In New Delhi, the lives and challenges of sanitation workers and manual scavengers have rightfully gained attention. While sanitation workers are legally recognized and employed, the caste-based practice of manual scavenging has been outlawed. However, this social evil persists.

Data from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment reveals that approximately 246 districts have not yet declared themselves free of manual scavenging or provided details of insanitary latrines and scavengers on the Centre's app.

Conversely, 520 districts have achieved the status of being free from manual scavenging. Despite repeated reminders sent between August 2020 and July 2023, progress has been sluggish. States such as Maharashtra, Telangana, and Odisha still have multiple districts awaiting declaration as manual scavenging free zones.

Two surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018 identified 58,098 manual scavengers across 17 states, with Uttar Pradesh having the highest count at 20,884. Uttar Pradesh has requested the inclusion of additional scavengers who were not identified in the previous surveys.

A 2018 study by Dalberg Associates estimated that around 5 million sanitation workers are employed in various urban areas across India.

The key distinction between manual scavengers and sanitation workers lies in the fact that scavengers are typically self-employed individuals involved in the cleaning of septic tanks and latrines without adequate protective gear. They predominantly hail from the Dalit community, and this work further perpetuates their status of untouchability.

The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, in collaboration with its partners, organized a multi-stakeholder dialogue on sanitation work and manual scavenging on April 3 at the Indian Social Institute.

The event brought together leaders and community members, with many sanitation workers displaying expressions of burden and frustration directed towards those in positions of power for their failure to create a level playing field.

Building upon a previous dialogue held in New Delhi on April 26, 2023, which convened government and non-government stakeholders along with representatives from sanitation workers unions, this event emphasized the ongoing marginalization faced by Dalits, particularly in their pursuit of alternative livelihoods beyond sanitation work.

Instances of denied opportunities and limited access to constitutionally guaranteed rights were highlighted, emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention.

The primary objective of the dialogue was to present grassroots findings, amplify diverse voices from different states, and formulate actionable recommendations for the Government of India to address these issues and ensure justice for sanitation workers nationwide.

In addition to discussions, book and stationery stands were set up in a corner of the hall to promote the distribution of Dalit literature. Notably, Hindi translations of the constitution were prominently displayed to encourage individuals to enhance their understanding of their rights.

The meeting objectives were as follows:

• Deliberate on existing socio-economic schemes, budget allocations, and their applicability to Dalit communities, with a particular focus on sanitation workers and their children.

• Identify and address challenges encountered by sanitation workers, sewage handlers, and septic tank cleaners, aiming to devise actionable solutions.

• Evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of initiatives such as NAMASTE, exploring their potential impact on target beneficiaries.

The event commenced with discussions centered on policies and government initiatives regarding sanitation workers. Esteemed government officials and MLAs took the stage to shed light on initiatives such as the Manual Scavenging Survey and the NAMASTE Scheme, as well as the current status of policies and schemes for sanitation workers, along with challenges in implementation.

The NAMASTE initiative aims to rehabilitate Manual Scavengers (MS) and individuals engaged in hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning, while promoting safe mechanized cleaning practices.

Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) or Private Sanitation Service Organizations (PSSOs) will directly engage Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs), providing them with linkage to AB-PMJAY, safety training, PPE kits, and capital subsidies for sanitation-related equipment procurement. The initiative aims to empower these workers as 'SANIPRENEURS,' as termed by the Ministry.

Among the speakers were Mr. Rajendra Pal Gautam, former Cabinet Minister for the Department of Social Welfare, Delhi; Mr. Ashok Sakarwal, from Delhi SC/ST/OBC Finance Development; Mr. Rohit Kakkar, Deputy Advisor at the Ministry of Urban Development; and Mr. Santlal Chawariya, former Chairman of the Delhi Safai Karamchari Ayog.

Ms. Beena Pallical, General Secretary of NCDHR, moderated the discussions, and Mr. Prabhat Kumar Singh, Managing Director of NSKFDC, shared insights on the matter.

The event, which also had community members and primary stakeholders in the audience, raised pertinent questions after the talk. Social activist and grassroot worker Rihana Mansuri stood up to take over the microphone and asked, “All of the schemes sound good on paper, but where is the implementation? There are so many workers who are lacking the basic documentation required for these schemes.”

She further added that due to absence of permanent residences of the community members due to their “unhygienic” deemed occupation and caste, are also unable to get the basic caste certificates made which deters them from accessing the benefits of the welfare programmes made for them.

The officials: while agreeing to the ground reality, did not seem to have much to add. Instead, they focused on talking about the need to do better for the communities and asking them to reach out to their local bodies for help, shifting the accountability to the victims.

The subsequent session focused on International Mechanisms & Frameworks concerning sanitation work and manual scavenging. Speakers included Ms. Elena Gerasimova, a specialist in Labour Law and Labour Standards from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Ms. Baishali Lahiri, the National Project Coordinator at the ILO, and Mr. N. Paul Divakar, the Convenor of GFOD (Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent).

Many community members were losing interest in the talk by then as it focused on international frameworks, which did not feel like an important topic for them. Most do not have access to the locally available welfare services so having hopes from international agencies such as the International Labour Organization felt like a far-fetched dream.

But an interesting point raised during the session was the absence of any framework around manual scavenging at the global scale while the practice was observed not only in India but in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh too.

While the Constitutions of India and Nepal have abolished untouchability and ensure the right to equality and non-discrimination, including on the basis of caste, they stand out as the only countries with specific legislation aimed at protecting Dalit and Tribal communities from caste-based atrocities.

In Bangladesh, an anti-discrimination draft law has been pending approval by the Law Ministry since 2014. Both India and Nepal have implemented special measures or affirmative action policies in areas such as education and public employment for these communities.

Moreover, the Constitutions of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan all prohibit forced labour, with additional provisions in India, Nepal, and Pakistan against child labour in factories and hazardous work. Nepal's new Constitution even includes provisions for the identification and rehabilitation of liberated bonded laborers.

Towards the conclusion of the event, community members were finally given the opportunity to share their perspectives on the challenges they face. Sunita Pawar from Pune, Satish from Delhi, and Rihana Mansuri working in Madhya Pradesh bravely voiced their concerns, ranging from difficulties in accessing healthcare to the lack of essential protective gear for sanitation workers.

Unfortunately, by this time, a significant portion of the audience had already left the event. This raises a crucial question about the organization of such events and prompts us to reconsider the sequence of agenda items.

Perhaps, events dedicated to the voices of workers should prioritize community input at the beginning, allowing policymakers and officials to hear directly from those affected before engaging in policy discussions. This approach ensures that community voices are not sidelined or overlooked, and it holds government officials accountable for addressing the concerns raised by frontline workers.