In a significant development reported today, the Karnataka High Court has issued firm orders directing the state government to take urgent corrective measures concerning manual scavenging at Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). Highlighting that despite repeated judicial directives, hazardous manual handling continues, the Court has mandated:

• The immediate deployment and regular use of mechanical equipment—such as suction or jetting machines—to clean STPs.
• A comprehensive audit of all state and private STPs to determine compliance levels and identify where manual scavenging persists.
• Provision of safety gear, training, and standardized wages to sanitation workers engaged in these operations.
• District-level monitoring committees to inspect STPs, enforce safety norms, and file action reports on incidents or non-compliance.
• Strict penalties against municipal bodies or contractors found violating the Manual Scavenging Prohibition Act, 2013.

The Court emphasized that manual scavenging, especially in closed sewage plants, not only violates workers’ dignity and constitutional rights but also poses severe health risks. It demanded a compliance affidavit from the Karnataka government by a specified deadline, making it clear that failure to act will invite contempt proceedings.

This follows growing judicial concern, with the High Court having taken suo motu notice in recent years of the ongoing practice despite legal bans, and repeatedly urging the administration to institutionalize mechanical cleaning systems and improve safeguards for sanitation workers.

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