Ground Report on the Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA)

On April 17th, we visited the offices of the Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA) in East Patel Nagar, New Delhi. There, we met with Bezwada Wilson, the founder of SKA, and his colleagues and National Coordinators at SKA, Dr. Renu Chachar, Poonam, and Usha.

Wilson played a key role in the 2014 Supreme Court case that resulted in a significant ruling mandating that a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh be awarded in each case of death caused by manual scavenging. Furthermore, the court stated that the authorities must pursue legal action against those who are responsible for the death of manual scavengers.

Wilson spoke to us about the challenges faced by manual scavengers in India. He shared with us his struggles in court where the government refused to legally recognize manual scavengers. The government's stance was that they had denied the existence of manual scavengers many times before the Supreme Court in the past. If they start recognizing manual scavengers now, it will create issues between the Supreme Court and the government. This lack of recognition has serious implications for the well-being of manual scavengers in India.

The technicality present in legal jargon is such that those workers who clean septic tanks and sewers do not come under the mandate of manual scavengers. Therefore, technically, nobody has died because of manual scavenging in the last 5 years. As a result, their deaths are not counted as the deaths of manual scavengers. However, this is not just the problem of manual scavengers but of the entire nation as it affects everyone.

Wilson went on to compare the state of sanitation in India with that of agriculture. The agricultural sector has institutes all over the country dedicated to improving the state of agricultural practices on a national level. Unfortunately, we do not have the same dedication and institutional support when it comes to sanitation.

In 2003, SKA and women manual scavengers approached the Supreme Court to implement The Employment Of Manual Scavengers And Construction Of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. It took the Supreme Court 11 years to send notices and affidavits to all state governments. Unfortunately, the state authorities brushed it aside, responding with outrage and denying that there were any manual scavengers. They got away with this lie, and the situation for manual scavengers has not improved.

Women manual scavengers face a lot of problems in particular. They are subject to untouchability stigma, as others refuse to interact with them because of their work. Manual scavenging exposes them to noxious gases, impairing their gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, and reproductive organs. They suffer from rashes, rotting of skin, permanent hair loss, nausea, breathlessness, palpitations, sore throat, loss of libido, and bear frequent infections. In some cases, the toxins they are exposed to become carcinogenic, resulting in fatalities. They have negligible access to healthcare services, benefits of public distribution systems (PDS), Anganwadi services, housing schemes, among other government welfare measures.

Furthermore, these women are unable to eat food as Indian food resembles human excreta, which they deal with on a regular basis. They find themselves unable to eat and often retch at the sight and smell of food.

In conclusion, the situation for manual scavengers in India is dire, and urgent action is required to address this issue. The government must take steps to recognize the existence of manual scavengers, implement the 1993 Act, and provide institutional support for improving the state of sanitation in the country.

On our excursion to Rohini, we interviewed Lajwanti, one of the women living in the basti. While she herself is not a manual scavenger, her husband is involved in the trade. One of the most significant challenges faced by her husband is the limited availability of stable employment opportunities. Men often take up sewage cleaning and sanitation work, which is not always available. Moreover, the work is not stable, and they do not get work most of the time. Her family is also large: she has three sons, each with their wives and two to four children, making it challenging to manage on limited resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns have further aggravated the situation, with many residents receiving no aid from the government. Those who do receive aid report reduced ration quantities, with the ration shop person favoring migrants from UP and Bihar over the people from the basti. The shop owner even shut down after receiving complaints.

Access to healthcare is another issue. While Mohalla clinics offer free medication, the cost of treatment must still be borne by patients. Many residents have lost their lives or been grievously injured in accidents, having lost legs and fingers while doing sanitation work, including the loss of one woman's husband due to drinking.

Discrimination based on caste is also prevalent in the basti. Children in sarkari schools are often ostracized and called "Bhangi," and their peers refuse to sit or eat with them. Job openings are also limited for those of the Valmiki caste, with the only job offered being cleaning washrooms.

Despite these challenges, some residents are determined to make the best of their situation. Lajwanti shared her experiences with us and spoke about her eldest son, who stopped his education in the sixth or seventh grade to work and be employed. The son was inducted into soap and sanitizer making but was misled by a woman's beauty who practiced untouchability. She helped him in the job but spoiled the work, causing both of them to lose the job. She left him even though they had a child together, and he later got into a severe accident, which left him disabled. He can only do limited work and now has a job cleaning cars.

 Another resident, Neha, aspired to become a professional makeup artist but was discouraged by the high cost of training. She is currently the mother of a young girl and feels that she cannot work in a world so money-oriented.

Despite their challenges, residents of the basti are determined to improve their situation. They aspire to learn English to empower themselves and wish to have more opportunities to exercise their potential. While access to basic amenities and stable employment opportunities remains limited, they continue to strive for a better future.