SC orders a stop on manual scavenging in six metros

Supreme Court orders halt to manual scavenging in top metros, demanding compliance with previous judgments by February 13.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) ordered a complete stop to the practice of manual scavenging and hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in top metros across the country.

“We hereby order manual sewer cleaning and manual scavenging shall be stopped in all top metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad,” a Special Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar directed in a petition filed by Dr. Balram Singh.

The Centre, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, submitted a report that out of 775 districts in the country, 465 have not reported any manual scavenging.

Amicus curiae, senior advocate K. Parameshar, however, said the data presented by the States to the Union government might not be accurate as some of these districts had not constituted committees to monitor and check the practice under the law.

A December 2024 hearing had witnessed the Bench observe that claims of fraternity, equality and dignity among citizens remain a mere illusion if a sizeable section of society was forced to enter sewers for a living and die trapped in them even a decade after the introduction of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013.

The apex court had referred to its October 20, 2023 judgment in which it issued directions to the Union and States to take measures to eradicate manual scavenging and hazardous cleaning in the country. The court had noted that these “inhuman” occupations continue, often with fatal results when workers die of asphyxia.

“This is something very close to our hearts and minds. We will not leave it. We tell you, we will go to any extent to get our judgment of October 2023 complied with, come what may,” the Bench had observed then.