Lok Sabha passes bill to prohibit manual scavenging
New Delhi: A Bill seeking to prohibit employment of individuals as manual scavengers and providing for rehabilitation of those involved in this work and their families through jobs and other provisions was passed by the Lok Sabha today. Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Kumari Selja moved the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 in the Lok Sabha. It was passed after a short discussion.
The minister said the Bill aims to provide for the prohibition of employment as manual scavengers, rehabilitation of those involved in this work and their families. “This dehumanising practice is inconsistent with the right to live with dignity,” Selja said, adding a need was felt for a stringent law on the issue. “We want to remove the stigma and blot on the society”, the Minister said, while calling for a “change of mindset” to end the menace. Selja also expressed the hope that a strong law would also help erase the practice from the society. The new law is being enacted as it was felt that existing laws have not proved adequate in eliminating the twin evils of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging. Participating in the debate on the Bill, Arjun Meghwal (BJP) said earlier the Prime Minister had said manual scavenging would be stopped in the country in six months but this did not happen. Many members who participated in the debate said these evils are inconsistent with the right to live with dignity which is an essence of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed in the Constitution. They also highlighted problem of serious health hazard associated with the practice. Shailendra Kumar (SP) demanded the jobs to be given to those involved in manual scavenging should be permanent. Baliram (BSP) said there are reports that those belonging to upper castes have taken government jobs of maintaining clean toilets in public institutions but pay others to get the work done.
R Siricilla (Cong) also participated in the debate.
Source: First Post
