The Allahabad High Court on Thursday asked for the State government’s response to an appeal filed by the law students looking for execution of the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 in the state of Uttar Pradesh. A bench of Justices Govind Mathur and Ajai Kumar Srivastava-I looked for a response after jotting down the systematic survey and the proposal put forward by the suitor. The suitors had conducted a comprehensive survey on the issue of manual scavenging in the city of Prayagraj and other neighboring areas. The study concluded with the fact that no ample safety equipment was provided to persons who are still undertaking manual scavenging, which is forbidden under the 2013 Act. The suitors further argued that the objective of the 2013 Act is to put an end to the brutalizing practice.
Advice made by the petitioners-
On the basis of the findings of their analytical studies, the petitioner made the following advices:
- Advanced intervention, like draw machines should be made available to prevent laboring Scavenging.
- Teaching of local bodies or sanitation inspectors about the act, safety manuals, technical know how of cleaning devices, should be imparted effectively.
- Well awareness program regarding the MS Act 2013 and its effective implementation in the ground should also be made priority, and sensitization for the authorities should be done.
- Observing authorities to ensure compensation for the families and penalizing the implementation agencies at fault.
- Complete rehabilitation of the families should be given. One adult family member of the deceased should be given adequate skill training and an opportunity of job.
- Allocation of the required aggregate of scholarship and successful implementation of the scheme for children whose parent/s are occupied in occupations involving cleaning.
- Suitable infliction of penalty on those engaged in the offence of employing people for the dehumanizing practice of labor scavenging.
- Sufficient budget allotment for the execution of the Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).
- Directives of sanitation work is needed for Litany of sanitation employers, selection of private service providers, adoption of standard operating procedures, technical implementation of sanitation work, and setting up an Emergency Response Sanitation Unit.
Case: Anupriya yadav v. Union of India & ors
