The East corporation has decided to conduct free health check-up camps for its safai karamcharis, gardeners and nullah cleaners every week. The check-up camps will begin from June 9. “The health of safai karamcharis is a cause of concern. Their work requires them to be in unhygienic places. Due to this, there is a high mortality rate among the workers and many suffer from occupational hazards. Keeping this in mind, the corporation will conduct special medical camps for them,” Sajjan Singh Yadav told Newsline.

New Delhi: Pressure is building up to treat manual scavenging on a par with crimes against dalits, to be tried under the atrocities law which lays down stringent punishment. The union social justice ministry has asked the home ministry for details of cases filed by states for manual scavenging under the Prevention of Atrocities Act (POA Act), even asking it to take up the matter with chief ministers.

New Delhi:While the Centre plans stiff penal provisions for manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis (DCSK) has sought a complete ban on the same in Delhi by May 25.

The Commission’s report called “Banning of manual sewer in Delhi” will be put before the lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier the commission had sought to declare April 14 as the date for implementation of the proposed ban, but it had to be postponed due to municipal polls.

No conviction under the old law in 19 years, says minister. Not a single person has been convicted under the anti-manual scavenging law that the country passed 19 years ago. This admission was made by none other than Mukul Wasnik, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, at a national workshop on “Total eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers for their dignity” held here yesterday.

New Delhi: Municipal corporation or state officials could face two years in jail or Rs 2 lakh fine for the familiar sight of bare torsos plumbing the depths of sewer tanks to clean the muck with their hands. The Centre proposes to ban ‘hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks’ with stiff penal provisions. It plans to make it mandatory for employers to provide cleaning devices and protective gear to the staff tasked with cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.

New Delhi: While the Central government is working on strengthening the existing Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrine Prohibition Act,1993, seeking to ensure rehabilitation of those engaged in such dehumanizing labour, activists say that thousands of manhole workers continue to work in inhuman conditions. MCD, DJB and other civic bodies have failed to provide adequate safety gear and medical facilities and often pass the buck on to their contractors.