Scourge of manual scavenging
Saint Valmiki, also known as adi kavi or first poet, exemplified the dos and don’ts of life in the Ramayana, a tale portraying Lord Rama as a model for Hindu virtue. Manual scavenging is another instance of our society behaving ostrich-like in overcoming the caste barrier. This engagement of members of the Valmiki community in manual scavenging and sanitation work is another example of the persistent caste barrier in society. The UPA government has recognised manual scavenging as a social issue rather than as a sanitation problem and is looking to strictly enforce the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines Act, 1993. However, the government should first expand the ambit of manual scavenging to include workers who clean sewers, septic tanks and drains where human excreta is washed.
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