The Supreme Court on Friday mandated government authorities to provide Rs 30 lakh in compensation to the families of those who lost their lives while engaged in sewer cleaning duties.
The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar. The Supreme Court established a minimum compensation of Rs 20 lakh for individuals who suffer permanent disabilities while performing sewer cleaning tasks.
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The bench stated, “The Union and the state governments must ensure that manual scavenging is completely eradicated.”
In cases where sewer workers sustain other disabilities, authorities are directed to give compensation of up to Rs 10 lakh. The Court has also issued an array of directives aimed at ensuring that government agencies collaborate to prevent such incidents. Additionally, it was stated that the High Courts have the authority to oversee cases related to sewer worker deaths.
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This judgment was delivered in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and a detailed order is awaited.
According to government data cited in the Lok Sabha in July 2022, an alarming 347 people lost their lives while engaged in sewer and septic tank cleaning in India over the past five years, with the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi accounting for a substantial 40% of these deaths.
(With inputs from PTI)