Taking suo motu cognisance of a photograph published in The Hindu , the National Human Rights Commission, on Tuesday, issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government on the continuance of manual scavenging in Chennai.
The photograph, showing a labourer cleaning a manhole without protective gear, on Santhome High Road, was published in the city pages of The Hindu on October 27.
A report on the steps taken to implement the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, should be submitted by the State government within eight weeks.
‘Manual scavenging violates the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution. It is considered to be one of the worst surviving symbols of inhumanity and untouchability. People engaged in manual scavenging are often dalits, who are still considered to be untouchables by many people,’ NHRC observed.
The commission also said it viewed the prevalence of manual scavenging as a serious threat to human dignity, and abolition of this practice should be taken up as a national mission.
‘It appears the authorities concerned are totally indifferent to these responsibilities and are allowing such an inhuman practice,’ NHRC said.