HC directs civic heads to take ‘no manual scavenging’ pledge

CHENNAI: Madras High Court has directed all the municipal corporations and municipalities to file an undertaking to the effect that no manual scavenging work would be undertaken under their respective jurisdiction.

The Bench passed the aforementioned order in light of a batch of pleas seeking an end to manual scavenging. There cannot be any manual scavenging at all and its responsibility continues to lie with the municipal bodies across the Chennai, the Bench added. Moreover, the orders indicated that the commissioners of the corporations will be held responsible if any case of manual scavenging activity is detected. “The state should plan to obtain appropriate machines and improve sewer lines so that no manual scavenging is necessary anywhere in the state,” the bench added.