Manual Scavenging
Scavenging is such an important function but scavengers are a detested lot in our society. Basic hygiene demands the scavenging needs to be fine inorder that we do not lead ourselves to diseases. No one other than the father of our nation attached priority to this when he advocated setting up of community latrines where the upkeep will be done by the owner of the latrine without manual labor externally employed. I was moved by the monumental efforts of this great soul in pre independent days when he set up his ashrams in Wardha and Sabarmathi. He himself has cleaned up the toilers and compelled his wife to do the same much to her annoyance. It is a shame on all of us that manual scavenging is still in this country when we talk of 9% growth rate and impending super power status. The Hindu published a story which revealed the extreme inhuman conditions under which manual scavangers work in india for pittance employed by Railways, Municipal corporations et all when the law forbids manual scavenging. most of them are Dalits and they do this job because there are no alternate employment avenues for them. The rehabilitation programes have been disastrous and full of corruption. Except perhaps the efforts of Dr. Pathak who had set up Sulabchain of community toilets, the Government or others have done precious little for the rehabilitation. Not even the so called Dalit Leaders. Not even Mayawatiji, Behenji who dreams of becoming our Prime Minister with her Sarva Jan Samaj theme. When a sizeable portion of our population still continues an abborrent profession without any alternate ways of livelihood, is it fair to claim credit for all development that has allegedly taken place around us ?
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