New Delhi: The Supreme Court has strongly criticized the Kolkata, Delhi, and Hyderabad administrations for claiming that manual scavenging has been eradicated in their cities, questioning how deaths continue to occur during sewer cleaning operations.
A bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Arvind Kumar directed the Commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Managing Director of Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and Managing Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to appear before the court for further investigation. The court also summoned the Commissioner of Brihat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for failing to submit an affidavit on the matter.
The bench ordered officials to justify why criminal proceedings should not be initiated against contractors employing manual scavengers and officials who failed to act. The court had earlier banned manual scavenging and manual sewer cleaning in six metro cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad—on February 29. Officials were instructed to submit certificates outlining their plans to enforce the ban effectively.
The Supreme Court’s strict stance signals a renewed push for accountability and the implementation of mechanized cleaning methods to prevent further deaths.
