Wed Jan 29 17:02:22 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Orders Immediate End to Manual Scavenging in Six Major Indian Cities
**NEW DELHI, January 29, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India issued a sweeping order today mandating an immediate halt to manual scavenging and hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in six major metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The order, delivered by a special bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, stems from a petition filed by Dr. Balram Singh highlighting the continued practice despite existing legislation.
While the central government reported that 465 out of 775 districts in India have not reported any manual scavenging, the court expressed concerns about the accuracy of this data, citing potential flaws in monitoring mechanisms. Senior advocate K. Parameshar, acting as amicus curiae, echoed these concerns.
The court’s decision builds upon a previous October 2023 judgment emphasizing the urgent need to eradicate these “inhuman” practices, which frequently result in worker deaths from asphyxiation. The justices reiterated their commitment to enforcing the 2013 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act.
State officials in the six targeted cities have been directed to submit affidavits by February 13th detailing the implementation of the court’s order and outlining how manual scavenging and sewer cleaning have been completely ceased within their jurisdictions. The court’s firm stance underscores its determination to finally eliminate this deeply entrenched and deadly practice.
First Piper 