Human Rights is a crucial discussion among every country in the world, one very much neglected human rights issue is manual scavenging which is the term used in India as its most commonly a part of our country India. To start with manual scavenging is the term which is explained as the disposing and cleaning of human excreta from an insanitary latrine or an open sewer even the septic tanks are included in it. As the scavengers mostly use their hands, with the help of brooms and shovels they clean these tanks. Manual scavenging has been a part of our Indian society for years though we have provisions for banning it there has been very less importance given towards its abolition.
It is a term that directly harms humanity in different ways, India is known to be following the system of dividing society into classes, and as we all know the Brahmin falls in the highest position following Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and lastly the Shudras. The Dalits are one of the castes that are doing this job of manual scavenging for years and are being neglected and are not even given the amount of importance and appreciation they deserve for their job.
India is a country with a lot of population of diversity with beautiful culture and various cuisines of food and what, not India is a place of cultural beauty, India is surrounded by all kinds of beauty also has a lot of various issues from rape to honour killing to other various crimes, the amount of importance to the topic of manual scavenging has been never been noticed and has been carrying on since years in India. 1993 abolished manual scavenging but there has been no proper attention given to it from being neglected for their work due to caste differentiation these people are not even given half the payment of what they deserve for falling under such a difficult job. From health to their lives every part is affected but they have been doing this job and is being passed by fathers to their sons and it carries on. It is shameful to realize that in a country that calls itself a developing one with every modern aspect being accepted how can such a disgraceful job by a differentiated caste have been not given the attention of improvement it requires.
Manual scavenging also brings the life of workers into danger of various diseases which can also take their lives, in the year 2019 it was noticed how manual scavenging has taken the lives of a lot people. There was an increase in the death rates from the last year 2018, and it’s a matter of concern. Though in the year 2013 the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation Act came into existence to put an end to any form of manual cleaning in India.
Even though there was an introduction to an Act, the 2020 data collected by various states still being identified to carry on with manual scavenging.
It is very much important to give the needed attention the topic of manual scavenging deserves as it’s about the lives of people who are being neglected and as we as a modern and developing country very much need to give the required attention the scavengers deserve and the government of India also needs to push this topic to the centre of more attention.
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