Supreme Court Orders To Abolish Manual Scavenging

SHILLONG: In pursuance of the order of the Supreme Court in WP (Civil) no. 583 of 200 and in accordance with “The Provision of Employment as Manual Scavenger and their Rehabilitation Acts, 2013”, the practice of manual scavenging have been abolished, this was informed by the Chief Executive Officer, Shillong Municipal Board.

Therefore no person, local authority or any agency shall construct an insanitary latrine or engage or employ, either directly or indirectly, a manual scavenger, and every person so engaged or employed shall stand discharged immediately from any obligation, express or implied, to do manual scavenging.

Also, no person, local authority or any agency shall engage or employ, either directly or indirectly, any person for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank.

Contravention of the Act is punishable with imprisonment up to two years or with a fine up to Rs 2 lakh or with both for the first contravention. Any subsequent contravention is punishable with imprisonment up to five years or with a fine up to Rs 5 lakh or with both.

All citizens are also requested to report cases of employment of persons as manual scavengers to the nearest police station for registration of the case.

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