"Serious Blot On Civilised Society": Bombay High Court On Manual Scavenging

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to pay Rs 30 lakh each as compensation to the families of two men who died cleaning a septic tank in Nanded in 2021.The Aurangabad bench of the high court held the state responsible for ensuring compensation reaches the victims' families, even though the deaths occurred on private property. The court clarified that the government can later recover the amount from those found responsible for violating the law.The court made strong observations on the continued practice of manual scavenging, calling it "a serious blot on a civilised society." It said such deaths are a reminder that the constitutional promise of equality, dignity and safety has still not been fully realised.The two daily-wage labourers died due to asphyxiation and drowning while cleaning a septic tank without any protective safety equipment. According to the petitioners, the hazardous work was carried out without the mandatory permissions.One of the victims was the sole earning member of his family, leaving behind his wife and a young son. The other victim's elderly parents told the court they lost their primary source of support after his death.The high court has directed the state's Social Justice Department to release the compensation within eight weeks after receiving the proposal from the district collector. If the payment is delayed, the amount will carry 6 per cent annual interest.The court has also asked authorities to examine whether the victims' families are eligible for rehabilitation benefits under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, and complete that process within 12 weeks.