Bengaluru: “When we earn Rs 1,000 in a couple of hours, why should we slog for eight hours to earn a few thousand? This is the job our forefathers did and we will continue to do this for the rest of our lives. We are content with this job,” says Muniyappa (name changed), a manual scavenger.
At a time when machines have taken over and men and technology have forayed daily lives, it is alarming that there are over 15,000 manual scavengers in the state. And the untimely death of four labourers in Doddaballapur recently, was one among the many incidents that take place in the shadows of rural Karnataka.
The Supreme Court may have ruled that manual scavenging should be abolished and the Central government may have brought in the Manual Scavenging Act to forbid manual scavenging, but the laws have hardly brought about any changes in the land, for these scavengers. And it is no surprise that Karnataka is among the top five states where manual scavenging is rampant.
Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission chairman Narayan says that manual scavenging is not restricted to the remote places of Karnataka, but that it is significantly present even in the fringes of Bengaluru.
“The state government that decided to bring 110 villages under the purview of the BBMP did not think about providing basic infrastructure to these villages. Even today, many of these villages do not have underground drainage (UGD) system and they have to dig pits to get rid of human excreta. When the pits are full, these scavengers are called for. Forget about safety gear, there is no guarantee that they will return alive,” says Mr Narayan. He points out that more than 500 manual scavengers can be found be in Bengaluru alone.
Shockingly, he reveals that the manual scavengers have a short life expectancy and that they do not live more than 50 years. “Many die an early death, around 45 years, and none of them live beyond 50. Due to the constant exposure to gas and toxic chemicals, they age early and look 60 at the young age of 30.” he mentions. Though there is no particular caste or sub-caste which works as manual scavengers, it is mainly those belonging to the Scheduled Castes who get into these jobs, he adds.
Mr Narayan highlights that despite many programmes and workshops to create awareness among them, not many scavengers have the desire to do other jobs.
“The government offers free homes and free education to scavengers’ children and even offers them a Rs 1 lakh incentive to start a business independently, but they refuse to take up the offer. We have joined hands with some NGOs to bring some change in their lives and we hope to see a positive outcome,” he added.
Unions to protest against manhole deaths
AICCTU, All India Central Council of Trade Unions, BBMP Guttige Powrakarmika Sangha and BWSSB Guttige Karmika Sangha will protest against the death of Dalit sanitary worker while cleaning a manhole in Doddaballapur recently.
The protest will be held at 4.30 pm on Thursday at the Directorate of Municipal Administration office located at Visvesvaraya Towers. Over the past few years, more than 40 contract sanitary workers have lost their lives while cleaning manholes and soak pits in various parts of Karnataka, they said.
The union members demanded that an a FIR should be registered, for offences punishable under Section 304 II of IPC and prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation act 2013 and pay compensation of up to Rs 25 lakh.
