Wednesday (September 18): While making scathing observations on the practice of manual scavenging the Supreme Court said, “Although over 70 years have passed since the Independence, caste discrimination still persists in the country. Nowhere in the world people are sent to gas chambers to die.”
Expressing serious concern over people dying during manual scavenging and sewage cleaning in India, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra questioned Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, as to why proper protective gear like mask and oxygen cylinders were not being provided to people engaged in manual scavenging and cleaning of sewage or manholes.
The bench is also comprised of justices M R Shah and B R Gavai.
The bench further asked, “Why are you not providing them masks and oxygen cylinders? In no country in the world, people are sent to gas chambers to die. Four to five people are dying due to this every month. The Constitution has provided that all human beings are equal but they are not being given equal facilities by the authorities.”
The apex court made these hard-hitting observations while it was hearing the Centre’s plea seeking review of its last year’s verdict which had virtually diluted the provisions of arrest under the SC/ST Act.
The bench termed as “inhuman” the situation where the people are not provided with any protective gear and they are dying during the process of cleaning of sewage and manholes across the country. “This is most inhuman to treat the human beings like this,” it observed.
The bench also made observations on the aspect of untouchability in the country. “Despite the constitution abolishing untouchability in the country, I am asking you people, do you shake hands with them? The answer is no. That is the way we are going on. The condition must improve. We have moved 70 years since Independence but these things are still happening,” Justice Mishra said.
