PIL on manual scavenging: HC seeks govt reply
THE PETITIONERS, IN THEIR SURVEY, FOUND THAT NO ADEQUATE SAFETY EQUIPMENT WAS PROVIDED TO THE SCAVENGERS AND THEY WERE STILL WORKING MANUALLY
The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply in a PIL petition seeking prohibition of manual scavenging and implementation of the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 in the state.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Anupriya Yadav and seven other law students, a division bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ajai Kumar Srivastava called upon the state government, Nagar Nigam, Prayagraj, and Jal Nigam, Prayagraj to furnish their respective response at the earliest. The court fixed April 12, 2021 as the next date of hearing in the case while passing the order on March 25.
The petitioners, all students of law at various law institutes in the country, raised this issue after undertaking a detailed study with regard to objective conditions for scavenging in the city of Prayagraj and other certain areas of the state.
The petitioners, in their survey, found that no adequate safety equipment was provided to the scavengers and they were still working manually, which is otherwise prohibited under the above-mentioned Act.
The petitioners submitted that whatever recommendations were made by the petitioners were in consonance with the provisions of the Act that was enacted to ensure a dignified life to the lowest rung of the social hierarchy.