Civil society members meet President to end manual scavenging and stop sewer deaths

Civil society members meet President to end manual scavenging and stop sewer deaths

New Delhi

Leading people representing different sections of the civil society called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday to demand an immediate end to the practice of manual scavenging and sewage deaths in the country. President listen to the concerns expressed by the delegation sympathetically.

The delegation apprised the President about prevailing realities on ground, where safai karmacharis are forced to clean the human excreta or go down the septic tanks and sewage pits. Added to the fact is that all these safai karmacharis are dalits and belong to the lowest strata on the social ladder. They have to bear the social stigma due to their profession as well as caste. Delegation informed the President that safai karmacharis have undertaken a nationwide ‘Bhim Yatra’ to highlight this issue. This 125 days yatra organised by Safai Karmachari Andolan in the 125th Birth Anniversary year of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar completed its 100th day on Friday and is due to culminate on 13th April in New Delhi. Started from Dibrugarh on 10th December this ‘Bhim Yatra’ will cover more than 30,000 kms across 500 districts in 30 states and union territories of the country.

Delegation included CPI National Secretary, D. Raja M P, JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi MP, International jurist Usha Ramanathan, academician Professor Imrana Qadeer, liberated manual scavenger & Safai Karmachari Andolan activist Maya Gautam, NFIW General Secretary Annie Raja, Journalist & Author Bhasha Singh and Dalit activist Dr.Renu.

Earlier on Friday, civil society members led by Justice A.P. Shah addressed media to express their anguish on continued social as well as political apathy towards issue of manual scavenging. Justice Shah questioned that why people are still killed and why not a part of ‘swachh bharat’ scheme of government is earmarked for eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.

JD (U) MP K.C. Tyagi said that when functioning of parliament is stalled on various issues, why not it be so for a day to demand the eradication of manual scavenging. CPI (MP) D. Raja said that this issue has to be raised politically as well to ensure that no person dies in sewage pit anymore. This atrocious inhuman practice must be eradicated.

Jurist Usha raised that why rest of the civil society has not raised the issue of manual scavenging and so far this responsibility has been left on the community. Dr.N.Paul Diwakar and Dr.Vimal Thorat also spoke in solidarity

Bezwada Wilson

National Convener,

Safai Karmachari Andolan

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