Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Manual scavenging: The unending pain of India's sewer workers
Manual scavenging is the practice of manually cleaning, handling, and
disposing of human excreta, animal carcasses, and other waste materials, often
in unsanitary and hazardous conditions. This degrading and dangerous occupation
is primarily associated with cleaning and maintaining dry toilets, open sewers,
and septic tanks in places where there is no adequate sanitation infrastructure.
In India, there are thousands of manual scavengers from low-caste communities who
clean human waste in tanks, sewers, latrines, and railway tracks even though
such unsafe and inhumane practice is banned. When those workers come into
direct contact with human waste and harmful gases without proper protective
gear, their health is at risk of health problems such as respiratory issues,
skin diseases, and exposure to toxic gases. However, some people in lower-caste
communities like Dalits have no choice but to take such unprotected and inhumane
jobs. Indeed, they are still suffering from discrimination, social exclusion,
and economic disadvantages. When robots take the place of manual scavengers,
what jobs will those workers find?
Read the article and learn about manual scavenging in India.
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