Activist’s plea to end manual scavenging

Chennai: A PIL has been filed in the Madras high court, seeking a direction to the authorities to restrain sanitary workers from entering manholes of stormwater drains, septic tanks and other sewage systems and direct the use of mechanical devices.

On a petition from social activist A. Narayanan, director of CHANGEIndia, Virugambakkam, the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan, ordered notice to the chief secretary, secretary, municipal administration, MD, Chennai metro water supply and sewarage board, and commissioner, Chennai corporation, returnable by January 19, 2015.

The petitioner submitted that the high court on November 20, 2008 delivered a landmark judgment banning sanitary workers entering into sewage manholes, septic tanks and stormwater drains. The court, in another order dated August 5, 2009, constituted a 13-member special committee to ensure effective implementation of its order. The committee is almost defunct now.

On a direction from the Supreme Court, the Central government had enacted a new legislation Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, in November 2013.

However, the situation has not improved. Manual scavenging continues in the state. Hence, he sought an end to the practice of humans entering into manholes for removing silt and sludge. He also sought  authorities to use machines.