Why in news
The Supreme court ordered a complete halt to manual scavenging and hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in major metro cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
The order came in response to a petition filed by Dr. Balram Singh, with the court seeking an end to these practices that are considered inhumane.
The government reported that 465 out of 775 districts had not reported manual scavenging, though concerns were raised about the accuracy of this data.
Efforts
The court had earlier highlighted that manual scavenging continues despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and often results in fatalities.
In its October 2023 judgment, the court urged the Union and States to eradicate this practice, emphasizing its inhuman nature.
The court instructed officials in the six metros to submit affidavits by February 13 detailing when and how these practices were stopped.
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