Feature Image Credits: PIB
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has been issued an order to end manual scavenging with immediate effect. This was issued by Yogita Swaroop, joint secretary, ministry of social justice and empowerment, during a loan fair event organised by the MCG. The loan fair was organised under the Safai Mitra Challenge and Swachhta Udyami Yojana launched by the union housing and urban affairs ministry.
This has been issued as a reaction to several pleas that have been sent to the MCG regarding the perils that come with manual scavenging. Over 11 people have died since 2017 due to this uncivil practice.
This issue is particularly concerning because of the fact that the civic body decides to use manual labour for this purpose despite having machinery that could fulfil the same purpose. It has two robots, two super-suction machines, two jetting machines, and nearly 20 suction tankers to do the scavenging, and yet employs its unskilled labourers for this purpose, which is highly demeaning, in addition to posing a high occupational hazard for those that indulge in this practice.
MCG officials also announced that entrepreneurs can obtain loans ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh at a 4% interest for a period of 10 years to procure necessary machinery to clean tanks and sewerage lines under the Central government’s sanitation scheme. “Financial assistance is being provided by the Central government for arranging mechanised sanitation equipment under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana to eliminate the practice of manual scavenging. The objective of the government is to protect people and raise their standard of living. The government aims to fully mechanise 100 urban local bodies in this matter. Training will also be provided by the government to sanitation workers regarding the operation of the machines. During the training, a one-time amount of ₹1,500 stipends will also be given,” Swaroop was quoted saying in the Hindustan Times.