Swachh Bharat Abhiyan- A ray of hope for Manual Scavengers

- Shashibhushan Sharma1
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“A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150
birth anniversary in 2019,” said Shri Narendra Modi as he launched the Swachh Bharat
Mission at Rajpath in New Delhi. On 2nd October 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission was
launched throughout length and breadth of the country as a national movement

Objectives

This campaign aims to accomplish the vision of a 'Clean India' by 2 October 2019, the 150th
birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Specific objectives are as mentioned below:

 Elimination of open defecation

 Conversion of unsanitary toilets to pour flush toilets (a type of pit latrine, usually
connected to two pits)
 Eradication of manual scavenging
 100% collection and processing/disposal/reuse/recycling of municipal solid waste
 A behavioral change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices
 Generation of awareness among citizens about sanitation and its linkages with public
health
 Supporting urban local bodies in designing, executing and operating waste disposal
systems
 Facilitating private-sector participation in capital expenditure and operation and
maintenance costs for sanitary facilities.

Manual scavenging is the practice of manual cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any
manner of human excreta from dry latrines and sewer or a septic tank. A persons or a
community engaged in such type of despicable occupation known as Manual Scavenger. A

1
Research Associate (Manual Scavenging Laws and Policies) at Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar.
'Sweeper, Sewer' is 'expected to' clean sewage systems by 'using various cleaning
instruments', including bamboo or iron rod, and collecting debris and refuse in a bucket
using a spade and handing this bucket to helper outside manhole." The practice of manual
scavenging, which has officially been banned for decades in India, continues unabated in
several states. According to the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census data released on 3rd July
2015, 1,80,657 households are engaged in this degrading work for a livelihood.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has become a „Jan Andolan‟ receiving tremendous support from the
people. Citizens too have turned out in large numbers and pledged for a neat and cleaner
India. Taking the broom to sweep the streets, cleaning up the garbage, focusing on sanitation
and maintaining a hygienic environment have become a practice after the launch of the
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

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