Lok Sabha Question No. 2371 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Manual Scavenging
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Tariq Anwar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2371 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2024

## MANUAL SCAVENGING

## 2371. SHRI TARIQ ANWAR:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Supreme Court recently ordered the Central and State Governments to pay compensation of Rs. 30 lakhs to the next of kin of those who die while cleaning sewers, Rs. 20 lakhs to those who suffered permanent injury, and Rs. 10 lakhs for other injuries;
- (b) if so, the progress has been made in implementing this order;
- (c) whether the Supreme Court order, how many individuals have received the specified compensation amounts;
- (d) whether it is true that the delay in the scheduled 2021 census is a significant impediment to eradicating inhuman manual scavenging;
- (e) the number of many manual scavenging-related deaths have occurred since 2014, and the number of the victims or their families have received compensation; and
- (f) the actions have been taken against employers who force individuals into such inhuman acts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)

- (a) to (c): Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 20.10.2023 in Writ Petition (C) No. 324 of 2020 has ordered as follows:-
- "i The court hereby directs the Union and the States to ensure that the compensation for sewer deaths is increased (given that the previous amount fixed, i.e., 7 10 lakhs) was made applicable from 1993. The current equivalent of that amount is Rs. 30 lakhs. This shall be the amount to be paid, by the concerned agency, i.e., the Union, the Union Territory or the State as the case may be. In other words, compensation for sewer deaths shall be 7 30 lakhs. In the event, dependent of any victim have not been paid such amount, the above amount shall be payable to them. Furthermore, this shall be the amount to be hereafter paid, as compensation.
- ii Likewise, in the case of sewer victims suffering disabilities, depending upon the severity of disabilities, compensation shall be disbursed. However, the minimum compensation shall not be less than ? 10 lakhs. If the disability is permanent, and renders the victim economically helpless, the compensation shall not be less than & 20 lakhs."

The directions of the Hon'ble Court has been shared with States/UTs for compliance.

In compliance of Hon'ble Supreme Court order dated 20.10.2023, 22 families of death victims have been provided compensation of Rs. 30 lakhs, whereas, no incident of disability has been reported from the States/Union Territories.

(d): As per the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)" manual scavenging is a banned activity in the country with effect from 6.12.2013. No person or agency can engage or employ any person for manual scavenging from the above date. Any person or agency who engages any person for manual scavenging in violation of the provisions of the MS Act, 2013 is punishable under Section 8 of the above Act, with imprisonment upto 2 years or fine upto Rs. One Lakh or both.

(e): No death has been reported due to Manual Scavenging which is lifting of human excreta from Insanitary latrines.

(f): No report from States/UTs has been received about the inhuman practice of manual scavenging.

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