Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State asked to explain steps taken to enforce law on manual scavenging

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Special Government Pleader (SGP) to inform it to what extent the provisions of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act have been carried out.

On a petition by A. Narayanan of Virugambakkam here, the High Court, in an order dated November 20 last year, gave a direction banning the entry of human beings into manholes and septic tanks in Tamil Nadu, except under specifically mentioned exceptional circumstances.

The court had given various other directions to the authorities.

In his contempt petition, Mr. Narayanan submitted that the Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Niranjan Mardi, and the Chairman and Managing Director, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Shiv Das Meena, had not taken the court directions with the seriousness they deserved.

They had not made any sincere effort to implement the order in toto.

In its order, a Division Bench, comprising Justices F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla and B. Rajendran, said Mr. Narayanan had pointed out specific instances indicating violation of the court order.

At least in two cases, one at T. Nagar and the other on Vepery High Road, two workers lost their lives while attempting to remove blocks in the drainage system.

The Bench said that though in his counter Mr. Meena had stated that in both the cases he had taken action against the individual concerned and that the victims had entered the drainage on their own, it was of the considered opinion that by furnishing such reports it could not be held that the various directions had been complied with.

While issuing the directions, the endeavour of the court was to ensure that manual scavenging should be brought to an end while simultaneously creating serious awareness in the minds of the public to eradicate the present hazardous situation, which was causing environmental problems.

The Bench made it clear that its directions were meant for both metropolitan cities and other towns in Tamil Nadu.

To a suggestion that certain bodies such as NEERI, IIT, Anna University and other social organisations could be involved to get ideas on formulating a better awareness programme, the Bench directed the SGP and the petitioner to furnish details of the organisations to enable the court to ensure their presence on a future hearing date and seek their assistance by constituting a committee for working out a better solution to the environmental problem.

The matter has been posted for June 23.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu