SC SLAMS GOVT OVER MANUAL SCAVENGING

Nowhere in the world are people sent to “gas chambers to die”, the top court fumed, expressing concern over deaths during manual scavenging.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a detailed response from the Centre over the steps it has taken to stop manual scavenging that continues in the country even though it has been outlawed.

“People are dying every day. Can humans be dealt like this? What have you done for manual scavenging? In no other country, people enter manholes without protective gears. What have you done about it?” a justice Arun Mishra-led bench asked attorney general K K Venugopal while asking him to give his submissions in writing.The bench expressed concern over people dying during manual scavenging and sewage cleaning in India. It said nowhere in the world are people sent to “gas chambers to die.”

“This practice of manual scavenging is unconstitutional. Seventy years have passed since independence, but it is unfortunate that caste discrimination still continues in the country and governments have failed to protect them,” said justice Mishra. He called manual scavenging an inhuman practice.

The bench’s remarks came when it reserved a verdict on petitions demanding a review of the Supreme Court’s judgement last year banning automatic arrests in cases registration under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Centre has supported the review.