Manual Waste Collection and Patterns

Concerning manual scavenging and its trends:

Manual scavenging involves the manual collection, transportation, or management of human waste from dry toilets, sewers, or septic systems, a practice that is officially prohibited by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

Worrisome Patterns:

In 2022–23, there were 150 fatalities associated with dangerous sewer cleaning.

In 49 out of 54 reviewed deaths, there was no safety equipment available.

In more than half of the cases, there was a lack of consent or counseling prior to hazardous cleaning.

Most workers were employed informally, avoiding legal protections.

NAMASTE Initiative (2023): A governmental program aimed at tackling dangerous sewer cleaning and encouraging mechanization. More than 84,000 workers have been identified, but only half currently have access to PPE.