Cleaning of drains & septic tanks claims 110 lives in 2019

Cleaning of drains & septic tanks claims 110 lives in 2019

Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Vulnerable section

In news:

• Number of people who died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in the country increased by almost 62% from 68 in 2018 to 110 in 2019, Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE) 
• Ministry manual scavenging is banned under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th February 2020

Src: The Hindu

From Prelims point of view

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013

• The law prohibits the employment of manual scavengers, the manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment and the construction of insanitary latrines.
• The law also provides rehabilitation of manual scavengers and alternative employment to them within the time bound manner. 
• From now onwards, the construction and maintenance of the insanity latrines has became an offence, therefore no one can be employed or engaged as the manual scavenger.

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)

• NCSK was constituted as a statutory body under the NCSK ACT, 1993.
• Look into matters concerning the Safai Karamcharis’ welfare and makes recommendations to the government.