Manual Scavengers

India's manual scavengers: Ugly truths of unsanitary sanitation work an open secret, law needs better enforcement

The perils of manual scavenging will stay unaddressed in India till the casteist attitude of washing their feet or trying to fix this problem from an economic perspective alone remain.

India's manual scavengers: Instead of focusing on 'disgusting practice', it's time to discuss worker who dies anonymously cleaning our filth

Until 1993, different governments employed manual scavengers to remove human filth from every house. Widely referred to as dry latrines, people defecated in a bucket and this bucket was later removed by municipal servants who were called manual scavengers. Though this is officially banned, it still continues.

Delhi mechanises sewer cleaning, goes beyond political posturing to turn manual scavengers into entrepreneurs

Last week, the Delhi government launched 200 sewer cleaning trucks and gave the contracts to families of manual scavengers in a bid to do away with the hazardous occupation.

The Valmiki community's protest against empty political gestures — and an oppressive occupation

For many centuries, the Valmiki community has suffered oppression and been deprived of opportunities because of a caste-ordained occupation — cleaning sewers and human waste

Arvind Kejriwal flags off fleet of 200 sewer cleaning machines in Delhi, says ‘historic’ move will end need for manual scavenging

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged off a fleet of 200 sewer cleaning machines on Thursday. The machines have been provided to skilled manual scavengers making them 'sani-entrepreneurs', officials said.

Fifty labourers return to manual scavenging despite participating in Delhi govt's skill development programme

Three months after the Delhi administration completed a first-of-its-kind skill development programme for 50 manual scavengers and provided them with alternative means of livelihood, many have returned to cleaning sewers, citing lack of regular income and harassment at workplace.

Centre keen to eradicate manual scavenging in time-bound manner, says Thawar Chand Gehlot

Gehlot asked states to revisit their survey by using the wider definition of manual scavenging as given in the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act,

Five sanitation workers die after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning sewer tank in Delhi's Moti Nagar area

Five sanitation workers died allegedly after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a sewer near DLF flats in Moti Nagar area. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when all the five people aged between 22 and 30 years went to clean the sewer.

Childhood, lost: What M Palanikumar's photos of children of manual scavengers reveal

Kakoos cinematographer M Palanikumar highlights the stories of the children of manual scavengers through haunting black and white photos | #FWeekend

UN expert says 'Swachh Bharat' mission lacks human rights approach, draws Centre's ire

Narendra Modi's pet 'Swachh Bharat' mission came in for sharp criticism by a top UN expert on sanitation who said it lacked a holistic human rights approach