Manacles of Caste in Sanitation

Context: Sanitation workforce continues to grapple with the inhuman nature of manual scavenging in absence of proper labour rights for sanitation workforce.

Issues faced by Manual Scavengers in India

• Failure of legislation: The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act in 1993, defined ‘manual scavenger’ as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta.
• While the Act prohibits construction of unsanitary dry latrines and employing manual scavengers, manual scavenging goes beyond dry latrines to insanitary latrines and open defecation.
• A government survey (ordered by the Supreme Court in 2013) found that dry latrines and manual removal of human excreta still persisted. 
• Labour safety ignored: 
• Number of death remains high in manholes, sewers and septic tanks.
• Most sanitation contracts are given to private contractors or self help groups, and such sta? hardly have ID cards, leave alone the protection of medical insurance policies. 
• Societal prejudices: Sanitisation work is caste ridden.
• Bodily wastes are seen as unholy elements that need to be kept away from places of living, cooking, studying, or worshipping. 
• Not only toilets, but even cleaning work is seen as a lowly job in India, which also highlights the stigma attached to the sanitation under Swachch Bharat Abhiyan.
• The local administration usually approached particular caste member during hiring of workforce in sanitation department.
• No separate rule-book for sanitation workers: and absence of guidelines (unlike other labour forces) for their work timings and holidays, a proper place for roll call and removal from duty.
• For E.g. sanitation workers have to stand outside the office during their roll calls.

Conclusion:  Inhumane treatment of sanitation workforce is a forced choice and is connected to the dignity of a worker.