MANUAL SCAVENGING

Status Of Manual Scavenging

The Government of India has enacted "The employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993" for abolition of Manual Scavenging. Karnataka has adopted this Act in 1997 and Rules have been farmed in 1997 to enforce it. 

Karnataka has conducted 1st survey during 1991-92 and has identified 14555 persons inclusive of Scavengers/Safai karmacharis and all of them reported to be rehabilitated by Dr.Ambedkar Development Corporation.

Govt. of India directed the State Government to conduct resurvey during the year 2002-03 to identify the Scavengers, Safai karmacharis and their dependents. The result of the survey are summarized below (excluding Corporations)

Type Number of families No of Persons
Male Female Total
Scavengers 5188   13287 12717 26004
Safai Karmacharies  13742 34512 33403 67915

 Including all the City Corporations the number of families covered -

Scavengers 8018
Safai Karmacharies  21680
Total 29698

To put an end to the dehumanizing practice of manual scavenging of human excreta in the country and to provide alternative dignity and viable trade/occupation to each Scavengers and their dependents, the National Human Rights Commission has been vigorously monitoring the effective enforcement of the Act and based on the directive of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, all State Governments have been given deadline eliminate this practice before December 2007.

The survey was conducted based on the definitions of the Act of "Employment of Manual Scavenging and Construction of dry latrines (Prohibition Act, 1993)". The important definitions are:-

Scavenger: "A scavenger is one who is partially or wholly engaged in the obnoxious and 'inhuman occupation of manually removing night soil and filth" (as per NSLRS).
"All Scavengers are Safaikarmacharis but all Safaikarmacharis are not Scavengers"Dry Latrine: A latrine other than a water seal latrine. Water seal latrines mean "a pour-flush latrine, water flush latrine or sanitary latrine with minimum water seal of 20 millimeters diameter in which human excreta is pushed in or flushed by water.

In this regard, Karnataka has conducted resurvey through 3rd party agency viz., M/s. Datamation Research Analyst to identify Manual Scavengers/dry latrines.

The Survey reveals the prevalence of Manual Scavenging in 22 districts Bangalore(Urban), Bangalore (Rural), Ramanagara, Bagalkote, Bidar, Belgaum, Bellary, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Gadag, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, Koppal, Kolar, Chickaballapura, Mandya, Raichur, Shimoga, Tumkur and Uttara kannada.

  • No. of Individual Dry Latrines 430
  • No. of Scavengers associated 403
  • No. of Community Dry Latrines 231

There is zero prevalence of Manual Scavenging in 7 districts (Udupi, Kodagu, Chickamagalur, Dharwad, Mysore, Bijapura and Dakshina Kannada).

  1. All the Deputy Commissioners of the Districts have been advised to take up following actions:Demolition of Dry Latrines
  2. Conversion of dry latrines into water flush latrines
  3. Prosecution of people maintaining dry latrines
  4. To send list of identified Scavengers for Rehabilitation to Dr.Ambedkar Development Corporation
  5. To undertake IEC to create awareness among the people about the provision of the Act.

Regarding demolition of dry latrines, all the DCs have reported that all the Dry Latrines identified have been demolished and action has been taken to construct Community Toilets wherever found necessary.
As per the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993, Resurvey taken up to identify Scavengers and their dependents/dry latrines during 2006 (By M/s.Datamation Research Analyst).

  No. of individual dry latrines identified     430
  No. of individual dry latrines demolished 364
  No. of individual toilets constructed    312
  No. of Community dry latrines identified  231
  No. of Community dry latrines demolished  217 
  No. of Community toilets constructed             209  
  No. of manual scavengers identified & list  sent to  Dr. B.R Ambedkar Dev. Corpn. for rehabilitaion   296

Incentive for construction of individual toilets in liew of dry latrines

  • Financial help of Rs.10,000/- for SC/ST beneficiaries and Rs.5,000/- for others for individual toilets
  • On 2nd October 2008, State will be declared as 'Scavenger Free State'

Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme

  •  Construct new low cost latrines where EWS household have no latrines
  • Scheme is on 'All Town' coverage Basis
  • Central Subsidy 75%, State Subsidy 15% and Beneficiary contribution 10%
  • Cost for one complete unit is Rs.10,000/-

Click here to download the Manual Scavenging Act

Release of 9.60 Crores out of SFC grants to 11 ULB (22-07-2008)

  Click here to download