#MISSING SCAVENGERS MANUAL#

In 2018, the Centre initiated a resurvey in 18 states, covering 164 districts. Of the 323 fatalities reported across the country since 1993, 144 – 44.5% – were from Tamil Nadu.

#MISSING SCAVENGERS MANUAL#

In January 2018, data submitted in the Rajya Sabha by Hardeep Singh, the Union minister of housing and urban affairs, noted that Tamil Nadu topped the chart in manual scavenger deaths. “They threatened to arrest them and took signatures from them on paper stating that they were not manual scavengers,” says Samuel.

However, on the pretext of verifying these names, government officials allegedly harassed and intimidated manual scavengers. It identified 3,032 manual scavengers and submitted the data to the government. Again.Īfter the 2015 survey, the SKA surveyed eight districts in the state to replicate Tamil Nadu’s numbers. “My immediate and extended families are also in the occupation, yet none of them were ever surveyed.”Īlso read: After 25 Years of Broken Promises, India is Counting its Manual Scavengers. “I belong to the Arunthathiyar caste, like many manual scavengers,” he elaborated. Samuel also says that the state never conducted a proper survey in the first place. The new number was 462 manual scavengers, as of 2015.Īccording to every activist we spoke to, this number is not even a tenth of the actual number of manual scavengers in the state. However, after the MS Act took effect in 2013, the state conducted a census-like survey to identify manual scavengers. Like many others, he remains unaware of the rehabilitation package as described under the Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act).Īccording to the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011, Tamil Nadu had only 334 manual scavengers. Selvaraj has been working as a manual scavenger for more than 15 years. Selvaraj’s story is symptomatic of the failures of the Tamil Nadu government’s programme for identifying and rehabilitating manual scavengers. Samuel also told him about an ongoing survey to identify manual scavengers being conducted by the National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC), a wholly government owned body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Samuel, the Tamil Nadu convenor of the Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA), an organisation that works to eradicate manual scavenging. Selvaraj was told about the compensation to which he was entitled by V. “First they fell unconscious, and then they were electrocuted,” he says. He looked apologetic, his head low and hidden behind a cap, when asked if he also cleaned septic tanks.įollowing the death of his family members, Selvaraj has been anxious whenever he has had to enter a manhole. The 33-year-old, a corporation employee who cleans open drains, had come with his workmates to the Chennai Corporation Zone 1 office on April 7 to identify themselves as manual scavengers. Selvaraj* discovered that his family was entitled to a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the deaths of his father-in-law and wife’s cousin when they were cleaning manholes in 2003. His fingers closed over the handle of the case and he leaped up.Chennai: It was by accident that K. Erick dropped to his knees, groping frantically in the bushes. They were all running, soldiers shouting, flashing their lights, stumbling against each other in the darkness. He struck out, knocking the rod from the Senior Leiter's hand. 'We'll take them in,' the other Leiter said.

Nothing is left but a depression in the sand.'. It is very strange, a flash, then heat, and a wind. 'The City is gone, and with it at least half the Leiter Council. 'Who are you? Look at his chin-he never shaved with a sharpened stone! Something is wrong here.'. He stepped close to Erick, looking keenly into his face. I myself came from the hills, and I know.'. A moment later the Senior Leiter stepped into the light, a black-clad old man, his ancient face thin and hard, like a bird's, eyes bright and alert. The soldiers stood waiting, standing at a respectful attention.

Missing scavengers