Decades after the Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993, abolishing manual scavenging, was passed, the practice remains rampant. (File Photo)
Dec 4, 2024 20:55 IST First published on: Dec 4, 2024 at 20:52 IST
When it comes to caste-based segregation, the national capital offers the same picture as the rest of the country. Not only does Delhi reflect the same spatial segregation, it also shows the same caste-based stratification in occupations. The grim reality of manual scavenging can be seen in the numbers: 94 deaths in the last 15 years, and only one conviction. The tragic deaths of sanitation workers in Delhi remind us that without addressing the underlying social issues and ensuring proper implementation of existing laws, the cycle of exploitation will persist, leaving many to risk their lives in the shadows of progress. As the late Bindeshwar Pathak observed in the Road to Freedom: A Sociological Study on the Abolition of Scavenging in India, liberation from manual scavenging is not merely about providing alternatives but also about altering perceptions and relationships within society.
Decades after the Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993, abolishing manual scavenging, was passed, the practice remains rampant. Delhi has ranked fifth nationwide in terms of sewer mortality. Most members of the manual scavenging community intersect with those of the SC community — this is not a coincidence. This intersection is a poignant reminder of how caste-based oppression remains hard-wired in society and people from marginalised communities are still deprived of dignity and respect.
Following the death of two workers, Ramasre and Babundra in a Sarojini Nagar sewer in October this year, allegedly after inhaling poisonous gas, the brother of the former, Mukesh, told this writer, “The poor management of the city’s sewage system and lack of safety gear proved to be his death sentence.” Ramasre’s family didn’t just grieve his death — they also grieved the dignity that had been denied to them and others like them for generations. Such deaths are akin to institutional murder.
Manual scavengers risk constant exposure to toxic gases and infections. Protective gear is rare and workers have died due to suffocation inside the sewers. The death of a manual scavenger is a chilling reminder of how the state is apathetic towards caste-based oppression. The absence of any tangible support from local authorities and the negligent attitude of the state and non-state actors enables recruiters to exploit these people. The structural and systematic inequalities they suffer are too big to overcome by merely raising awareness about the problem among a few urban privileged people.
According to The Indian Express, in Delhi, 94 individuals have lost their lives while cleaning sewers in the last 15 years. However, just one case — out of the 75 fatalities for which data are available — has resulted in the victims receiving justice in the form of a court conviction (‘Delhi’s dirty secret: For 75 sewer deaths over 15 years, only one conviction’, IE, December 1). With most members of the community not having much formal education, it is difficult for them to secure employment elsewhere. The ones who do manage to get jobs in different sectors are prey to casteism, stigma, and discrimination.
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Let us never forget the harrowing truths of manual scavenging and hold to account the authorities who allow this to continue. For far too long, society has reaped the benefits of the tireless labour of the ones at the bottom, the people who have been the invisible backbone of most major developments. Until the state makes and implements robust and effective policies to tackle the issue and strives to eliminate manual scavenging at the grassroots, no social mobility or communal dignity will be found. The caste system and active caste-based discrimination are not relics of the past — they are very much alive and breathing. The proof is in the consistent marginalisation of the people from the periphery.
The writer is assistant professor of Sociology, Lakshmibai College, Delhi University
