Manual Scavenging Persists”: Bombay High Court Slams State Inaction and Mandates ₹30 Lakh Compensation
_796094636.jpg)
In a scathing commentary on systemic social failures, the Bombay High Court has strongly denounced the continued existence of manual scavenging in India, pointing out the stark contradiction between the nation's space exploration milestones and its failure to eradicate inhuman labor practices. A division bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande highlighted that despite celebrating 75 years of constitutional equality and technological achievements like reaching the moon, certain marginalized citizens remain bound to degrading labor under the shadow of the caste system.
Bombay High Court’s Landmark Observations on Systemic Failure
The high court's sharp remarks came while adjudicating a petition filed by labor union member Raju Madhave and writer Shreyas Pandey, challenging the state's lax implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The case specifically highlighted the tragic death of Madhave’s son Suraj, who lost his life in 2022 while cleaning a septic tank in a Mumbra housing society. Expressing profound disappointment, the bench noted that despite strict prohibitions from legislative bodies and the Supreme Court, state agencies continue to make only half-hearted efforts, leaving generations of specific communities vulnerable to forced hazardous work.
Strict Orders on Compensation for Families of Deceased Sanitation Workers
Addressing the accountability of local authorities, the court set aside two contentious government resolutions (GRs) that attempted to shift the financial burden of compensation solely onto private contractors and employers. Guided by Supreme Court precedents, the bench ruled that the state government must directly disburse a statutory compensation of ₹30 lakh to the dependents of sanitation workers who lose their lives while performing hazardous cleaning—granting the state liberty to recover the amount later from negligent employers. Furthermore, the court directed the immediate release of ₹30 lakh compensation to the families of five deceased workers highlighted in the petition, tearing down the state's claims that districts were entirely free of the practice.
_1384805989_351x234.jpg)
_597348828_351x234.jpg)
_2031924298_351x234.jpg)
_2052234030_351x234.jpg)
_376223338_351x234.jpg)
