NHRC recommends for a special act to zero down manual scavenging : Daily Current Affairs

NHRC recommends for a special act to zero down manual scavenging

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) gives various recommendations to concerned authorities for special act for manual scavengers.

NHRC wants to expand the definition of manual scavenging and new law for hazardous cleaning.
Rehabilitation program for manual scavengers should be collaborated with MGNREGA.
For rehabilitation one- time cash assistance should be hiked from Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh and it should be paid directly to them.
NHRC directs Finance Ministry to lend loan up to 10 lakhs to manual scavengers from designated nationalized bank in each state to help them to start some business activity.
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) is directed to keep record of deaths caused by sewer or septic cleaning in their annual report.
NHRC wants provision of penalty for harassment of dependents or children of manual scavengers and for women manual scavengers.
Penalize the authorities concerned for wrong reporting of number of manual scavengers.
If in case any person has to enter sewer or septic tank, they should be provided with proper safety gears.

It refers to unsafe and manual cleaning or removal of untreated human excreta.
According to Socio-Economic Census of 2011 over 1.82 lakh household are engaged in manual scavenging for a livelihood.
‘Safai Karamchari Andolan ‘rights group says across India there are over 7 lakhs manual scavengers.
India’s 1st local body to ban manual scavenging is from Tamil Nadu.