Karnataka High Court directs the State to draft urgent guidelines to prevent manual scavenging at sewage treatment plants. Court raises concern over recent worker deaths in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru: Today, on June 19, the Karnataka High Court has strongly urged the State Government and other concerned authorities, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), to immediately prepare a detailed policy or set of guidelines to stop the ongoing practice of manual scavenging in Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) across Karnataka.
The Court was hearing multiple Public Interest Litigations (PILs), including a suo motu, focused on enforcing laws that prohibit manual scavenging.
A Bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice CM Joshi took the issue very seriously, especially after hearing about the recent death of two young men—Lingaraju and Naveen, both aged 26, who died in October 2024 after entering an STP located at a unit of Asha Sweets in Bengaluru to clean it manually.
This tragic incident was brought to the Court’s attention by a PIL petitioner during the hearing.
The Court made it very clear that urgent action is required to ensure that such deaths do not occur again.
The Bench stated,
“STPs are looked after by Pollution Control Board (PCB, which takes care of environment related aspects tied to STP). But we are concerned with deaths occurring (due to manual scavenging in STPs). The urban development department, PCB – all should sit together, find solution. We are talking (about regulating STPs) across the State. Even residential societies have STPs. There should be comprehensive policy on every STP in the State. You must come out with (something) – whether it is guidelines or statutory mechanism (is up to you) but it should have the effect of law.”
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that despite existing laws, manual scavenging still continues in different forms even in cities like Bengaluru, and most of the deaths in the last two years have happened there.
He said,
“Unfortunately, in different forms, this practice (of manual scavenging) is taking place. Even in Bengaluru. In the last two years, the deaths that took place were in Bengaluru … Right now, there is an application on manual scavenging that is taking place in sewage treatment plants, where most deaths have taken place. Government has said they would do complete survey on STPs and see what guidelines can be issued … the application also looks at an incident where two people died in an sewage treatment plant in Bengaluru.. they should be regulated, safety precautions laid down.”
The State Government’s lawyer informed the Court that they are waiting for suggestions from the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), after which proper guidelines would be created and implemented.
Responding to this, the Acting Chief Justice said the matter needs to be handled on priority, stating,
“This is something which requires urgent attention of government. Many people lose their lives (doing manual scavenging), it (such work) should be more mechanised.”
He also questioned the role of the Pollution Control Board in the matter, asking,
“Has pollution control board not done anything about STPs?”
To this, the petitioner’s lawyer responded that while PCBs are in charge of environmental issues related to STPs, they are not currently addressing the problems of labourers involved in manual cleaning inside these plants.
The Court then stressed the need for a mechanised system in place of human labour to avoid such unfortunate deaths. The Acting Chief Justice remarked,
“You (State) should do it fast. Human intervention must be less. All these deaths – manholes, people going in and suffocating to death…Maybe persons (are made to) do this work in STPs.. (because) machines may be costly. As a means of sustenance he goes in. Better mechanization should take place.”
Justice Joshi added to the concern by stating,
“There should be monitoring mechanism of STPs. This can only happen if all sit together and put their minds. Ultimately they (manual scavengers) will not be people who are trained.. and some people who come are just daily earning people entering into this kind of activity.”
Finally, the Court directed the State authorities to respond to the petitioner’s request for safety guidelines within four weeks.
The Bench underlined that such dangerous manual work should be avoided completely and must be replaced with proper machines and strict regulations.
Case title:
The Registrar General, High Court (suo motu) v. Union of India and ors
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