{"id":166298,"date":"2025-05-16T20:14:36","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&p=166298"},"modified":"2025-05-16T20:14:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:44:36","slug":"nhrc-directives-for-manual-scavenging","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/nhrc-directives-for-manual-scavenging","title":{"rendered":"NHRC Directives for Manual Scavenging"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged immediate action to eradicate <\/span><b>manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">based on the <\/span><b>Supreme Court\u2019s 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> judgment (<\/span><b>Dr. Balram Singh v\/s Union of India, 2023 INSC 950).<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key Observations by NHRC<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite a complete ban on<\/span><b> 29th January 2025 in six major cities <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 <\/span><b>Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 reports of manual cleaning still continue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice of manual scavenging is a gross violation of human rights, especially:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right to life with dignity<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right to equality before the law<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Supreme Court\u2019s 14 Directives in Dr. Balram Singh v\/s Union of India case, 2023 INSC 950<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Policy Framework: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Union Government will frame clear policies to end manual sewer cleaning in all government bodies and departments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ban on Sewer Entry in Contracts: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No contract should allow any individual to physically enter sewers for cleaning purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>State-Level Enforcement: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All States and UTs must strictly implement the Union\u2019s guidelines at local and municipal levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Comprehensive Rehabilitation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sewer workers and their families must be given jobs, education support, and skill training.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scholarships for Dependents:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Children of manual scavenging victims must receive scholarships and other educational aid.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increased Death Compensation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compensation for sewer deaths is raised from \u20b910 lakh to \u20b930 lakh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pending Compensation Cases:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If dependents have not received compensation, the new amount must be paid without delay.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Disability Compensation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u20b920 lakh for permanent disabilities and \u20b910 lakh for other sewer-related disabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strict Liability in Outsourced Work: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governments must cancel contracts and impose fines for sewer deaths in outsourced work.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Standardized Model Contracts:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> New model contracts will include strict safety rules and penalties for violations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nationwide Survey: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis(NCSK), National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) and the Social Justice Ministry will conduct a national manual scavenging survey in one year.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monitoring Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">States must form monitoring bodies at district and state levels with no vacancies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Centralized Monitoring Portal: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An online portal will track sewer deaths, compensation, and rehabilitation efforts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Training and Awareness Drives: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government will run training and awareness programs for officials and the general public.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is Hazardous cleaning and Manual Scavenger?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>As per Section 2(d) of the <\/b><b><i>Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013<\/i><\/b><b>:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-166285 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/162-68273ade37832.webp\" alt=\"Manual Scavenging \" width=\"403\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/162-68273ade37832.webp 477w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/162-68273ade37832-300x202.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Hazardous Cleaning<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hazardous cleaning refers to <\/span><b>manual cleaning of sewers or septic tanks <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">without <\/span><b>protective gear and safety precautions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It becomes hazardous when employers fail to ensure safety equipment and procedures as prescribed by law.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Manual Scavenger : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per Section 2(g) of the same Act:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A manual scavenger is <\/span><b>a person employed to manually clean, carry, dispose, or handle human excreta.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This applies to insanitary latrines, open drains, pits, railway tracks, or any other place notified by the government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The work must be done before the excreta fully decomposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term also i<\/span><b>ncludes any form of manual scavenging in such settings.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Government Steps to End Manual Scavenging<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>I. Legislative Measures<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b><i>Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prohibits the employment of manual scavengers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides for rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their families.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All offences under t<\/span><b>his Act are cognizable and non-bailable.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b><i>Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bans the employment of manual scavengers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punishes individuals who construct dry toilets or latrines.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b><i>Other Supportive Laws<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>P<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rotection of Civil Righ<\/span><b>ts Act, 1955 \u2013 Ensures equal rights and dignity.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>SC\/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 \u2013 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides protection from caste-based discrimination and exploitation.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manual scavenging, a caste-based oppressive practice, is addressed under this Act to ensure dignity and equal rights for affected individuals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>II. Government Schemes<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b><i>National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE), 2023<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Social Justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implemented by National Safai Karamchari Finance &#038; Development Corporation.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims to ensure safety, dignity, and rehabilitation of hazardous sanitation workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b><i>Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban 2.0)<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Launched in 2021, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban 2.0) aims to make all cities garbage-free and improve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> urban sanitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overseen by the<\/span><b> Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Objectives:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ensure s<\/span><b>cientific waste management and eliminate legacy dumpsites<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promote source segregation of solid waste using the <\/span><b>3Rs principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>III. Dedicated Institutions<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b><i>National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set up in 1994 as a statutory body under<\/span><b> the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.; Functioned as a<\/span><b> statutory body until 2004<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, when the Act lapsed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now functions as<\/span><b> a non-statutory body<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the<\/span><b> Ministry of Social Justice.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focuses on the w<\/span><b>elfare and rights of sanitation workers.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b><i>National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC), 1997<\/i><\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>A non-profit company<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the Ministry of Social Justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides <\/span><b>loan and non-loan-based schemes for the upliftment of Safai Karamcharis.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span class=\"vc_button\"><b>Additional Reading: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/national-human-rights-commission-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>NHRC<\/b><\/a><\/span>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged immediate action to eradicate manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning based on the Supreme Court\u2019s 2023 judgment (Dr. Balram Singh v\/s Union of India, 2023 INSC 950).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":166192,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[],"subject":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/166298"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166298"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/166298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":166325,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/166298\/revisions\/166325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166298"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=166298"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=166298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}