Manual scavengers : Maharashtra, Gujarat lag behind in compensation for sewer deaths

Manual scavengers : Maharashtra, Gujarat lag behind in compensation for sewer deaths

Part of: GS Prelims –Schemes and GS-II- vulnerable sections

In news:

Central Monitoring Committee reviews implementation of manual scavenging prohibition law

From  Prelims point of view:

Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013: 

• The act seeks to reinforce this ban by prohibiting manual scavenging in all forms and ensures the rehabilitation of manual scavengers to be identified through a mandatory survey.
• Prohibits the construction or maintenance of insanitary toilets.
• Prohibits the engagement or employment of anyone as a manual scavenger violations could result in a years’ imprisonment or a fine of INR 50,000 or both.
• Prohibits a person from being engaged or employed for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank.
• Offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable.

• Calls for a survey of manual scavengers in urban and rural areas within a time-bound framework.

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK):

The National Commision for Safai Karamchari was established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993, for a period of three years i.e. up to 31st March, 1997.

• As per Section 1 (4) of the Act, it was to cease to exist after 31st March 1997, however, validity of the Act was extended up to March, 2002, and then up to February, 2004 vide Amendment Acts passed in 1997 and 2001 respectively.
• The Act ceased to have effect from March 2004. After that the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time (total of eight times) The tenure of the present Commission is up to March 2022.
• The Commission is a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.