Breaking the chains of discrimination: an assessment of India’s legal framework and rehabilitation initiatives for manual scavengers

Abstract

Tragically, between March and April of 2023, during a period lasting just one month, eight individuals perished while undertaking one of society’s most hazardous jobs: cleaning sewers. These fatalities have resurrected anxieties regarding the persisting deaths among manual scavengers despite explicit legal prohibitions against such practices nationwide. Despite legal efforts against it, news reports reveal that this harmful practice continues across India. The dangers are real for those who work in septic tanks or sewage systems, with incidents frequently cited where death results from accidental asphyxiation. Through a comprehensive analysis of social and legal factors at play for manual scavengers, this research looks into how far the laws and government schemes have successfully improved the condition of manual scavengers. It explores recent court cases alongside legal developments to determine efficacy while highlighting challenges faced in the implementation stages of relevant laws. By considering cultural perspectives and these factors, it becomes clear that pervasive stigmatization has severe psychological consequences for those working as manual scavengers within India’s caste system today. This research highlights how this scenario affects those who scavenge as they deal with being socially excluded while enduring economic exploitation and denying their fundamental human rights and dignity. Furthermore, it examines current rehabilitation plans by analyzing their efficacy and what hinders implementation through social empowerment initiatives for these individuals who manually scavenge human waste. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.