Activists divided over impact of the Act.
Will an Act finally bring reprieve to those who have been subjected to the shameful practice of manual scavenging? Will it bring succor to manhole workers? Activists working for the cause of manual scavengers and manhole workers are divided in their opinion about the impact of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013.
The Act, which is likely to come into force from December 6, makes it a punishable offence to hire manual scavengers and even impose penalty on the agencies indulging in the services.
HP Mishra of Kaamdar Seva Suraksha Manch (KSSM), said, that the new Act will make it possible to take strict action against the errant agencies.
“Earlier, if a manhole worker died, the police would file a case of accidental death. Now, with the Act, an FIR can be filed against the agency or the contractor, who hired the labourer,” said Mishra.
Although he admitted that like many other Act, this would also remain on paper if the government agencies fails to work on its proactive implementation.
A government official, who was closely involved in the drafting of the Act, said that Gujarat had sent several recommendations and many of these have made into in the final Act.
“The new Act makes a provision for a compensation of Rs5 lakh for manhole workers if they die on job. Hiring manhole workers is prohibited but even if some one does it in contravention of rules, they will not only have to pay Rs5 lakh as compensation in case of death but will also serve two years imprisonment and Rs2 lakh as fine,” said the official. He claimed that as far as manual scavenging is concerned, it is not of much worry as the practice is not present in Gujarat.
However, another activist, Purshottam Vaghela of Manav Garima, does not see much changes happening on the ground.
“The only good thing is that now an FIR can be filed against anyone employing a person for manual scavenging. Other than that, I don’t see much happening on the ground because the government believes that there is no manual scavenging in the state. It will take a long time before we are actually rid of this practice,” said Vaghela
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