Bombay High Court On Manual Scavenging: "Serious Blot On Civilised Society"
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Vulnerable sections (SC/ST, minorities, disabled, elderly, children)· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Bombay High Court condemned manual scavenging as a 'serious blot on civilised society' while ordering the Maharashtra government to pay ₹30 lakh compensation to families of two men who died in 2021.
Background
The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra Social Justice Department to pay ₹30 lakh each to the families of two men who died cleaning a septic tank in Nanded in 2021. The court ruled that the state is responsible for compensation even when the deaths occur on private property.
Facts for Prelims
- FactCompensation amount ordered by Bombay High Court: ₹30 lakh per family
- PlaceLocation of incident: Nanded, Maharashtra
- PostAuthority responsible for compensation: Social Justice Department, Maharashtra
For Mains
Q. Critically examine the persistent challenges in eradicating manual scavenging in India despite legislative prohibitions and judicial interventions.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Institutional failure: Inadequate enforcement of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act, 1993
- Economic compulsion: Lack of alternative livelihood opportunities forcing marginalized communities into hazardous sanitation work
- Regulatory gap: Absence of stringent oversight and safety protocols for private septic tank maintenance
Keywords: Human dignity · Legislative non-compliance · Social exclusion · Occupational hazards · Judicial activism
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