With deaths due to sewage cleaning increasing, the Safai Karamchari Andolan along with various NGOs and students protested in the city on Tuesday, and later submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister urging that he intervened in the matter. They also demanded strict implementation of the Manual Scavenging prohibition Act 2013 and its provisions.
Members of Safai Karamchari Andolan, NGOs and students from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University along with kin of the victims demanded Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased as compensation form the government.
Although the Constitution prohibits manual scavenging, 221 persons have died in sewers and septic tanks since 2017, which raises a serious question over the way Manual Scavenging Prohibition Act 2013 has been implemented.
Demanding an official apology from the Centre, the families of the deceased asked for a 100% mechanisation of all sewage work to be taken up on war footing with permanent government non-scavenging employment to at least one family member of the deceased manual scavenger, and free education from school to highest education in public and private institutions for safai karmcharis' children.
"Even after so many deaths, if the Prime Minister choose to remain silent, then how can you expect justice to those who have been trying to make Swachh Bharat a successful campaign?" said Bhasha Singh, the organiser of the protest.
While the family of the deceased demanded compensation from the government as the most of them had lost their only bread winner to the inhuman profession, in unison they asked for a stricter Act first.
"Even I work as manual scavenger to get food, but after Anil's death I have decided to leave the profession and even motivate others to do so. However, this is possible only when the government is ready to help us," said Virender, who's neighbour Anil passed away ten days ago while cleaning a sewage in Dabri Extension.
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