Manual Scavenging

 Today, though India is leading into a number of things, it is unable to free itself from the traps of social evils.

Social evils like Caste discrimination, Gender discrimination, etc have been holding the wings of the bird of a free India.

Today, if we look back at the condition of the poor, especially girls in India, we will be dumbstruck on realising that the India, on which we dote upon, is like a poor man’s dry land.

80% people living in the poverty stricken areas are jobless while the 20% employed are not more than mere manual scavengers, which however is worse than unemployment, as repeated handling of human and animal  excreta without protection leads to respiratory and skin diseases, anaemia, jaundice, trachoma and carbon monoxide poisoning, etc.

Thus manual scavengers in India have to suffer a lot due to these diseases, and, on top of that, they are paid VERY less, about Rs 200 to 300 per day, which is only Rs 6000 to 9000 per month. As they cannot afford hospital charges, they die in a horrible way.

Manual Scavenging is usually taken up (or, to be precise, force to take up) by poor or the so called “low caste” people. Caste discrimination is followed by Gender discrimination. Most of the employed manual scavengers are women.

Further, these manual scavengers are not only paid less, but also, they are despised by everyone. They are not allowed to enter temples or any religious or social ceremonies. They are preferred to be on the top of the list of ‘People to Stay Away From’.

 Manual scavengers in India are only provided with the most basic tools such as brooms, buckets, panes, etc. Even their safety is neglected. They aren’t given masks, gloves or any other stuff for protection.

Though a law prohibiting manual scavenging was passed by the government in the year 2013, many people are still included in this hazardous job.

If such things aren’t taken care of quickly, they will turn out to be toxic, slowly spreading its branches, and gradually destroying humanity.