No deaths reported due to manual scavenging: Govt tells Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Aug 03: The Lok Sabha was told on Tuesday that no deaths have been reported due to manual scavenging and there are no reports of people engaged in the practise in the country.

Union minister of social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale said, " there is no report of people currently engaged in manual scavenging as defined under Section 2 (1) (g) of the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)". Manual scavenging is prohibited with effect from 6.12.2013. No person or agency can engage or employ any person for manual scavenging from the above date."

The minister was responding to questions asked by the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) MP Girish Chandra on the situation of manual scavengers in the country and their employment status.

Athawale admitted that around 330 people died in the last five years due to accidents while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. The highest number was reported in Uttar Pradesh where 47 people died. Tamil Nadu and Delhi reported 43 and 42 such cases respectively while the number in Haryana was at 36.

"Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, since October 2, 2014, more than 10.99 crore sanitary toilets have been constructed in rural areas and over 62.65 lakh in urban areas and unsanitary toilets have been converted into sanitary toilets. This work made a huge contribution towards ending the practice of manual scavenging," the minister said.

The Centre is also providing skill development training to manual scavengers and their dependants for up to two years in addition with a stipend of Rs 3,000 a month, the ministry added.