#StopKillingUs: Safai Karmachari Andolan protests against manual scavenging deaths at Jantar Mantar

By A Representative

The Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA), a movement fighting for the rights of sanitation workers, held a powerful protest at Jantar Mantar today, demanding an end to manual scavenging and the rising deaths of sewer and septic tank workers.

Led by national convenor Bezwada Wilson, hundreds of sanitation workers and activists gathered to condemn the government’s inaction and denial of the persistent caste-based atrocity of manual scavenging. Despite laws banning the practice, dry latrines still exist in 36 districts across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, forcing marginalized communities, particularly women, into degrading and hazardous work.

Deaths Continue Despite Government Claims

In the last five years, 419 sanitation workers have died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Just last week, on March 16, 2025, a worker died, and two others were hospitalized after being forced to enter a manhole by the Delhi Jal Board in New Friends Colony.

The government’s National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE), launched in 2023-24 with a ₹97.41 crore allocation, has failed to prevent these deaths. SKA questioned why, despite claims of spending ₹55,000 crores on sanitation infrastructure and building 110 million toilets, manual scavenging persists.

Government in Denial

Protesters slammed the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for repeatedly denying the existence of manual scavenging in Parliament. “This is a violence against our community,” said Wilson. “The government is fudging data and protecting perpetrators instead of stopping these caste atrocities.”

Call to Action

The protesters demanded:

- Immediate eradication of dry latrines

- Strict enforcement of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act, 2013

- Proper rehabilitation and compensation for affected families

- Mechanization of sewer cleaning to end hazardous manual labor

The rally ended with a resounding call: “Stop Killing Us!”

Activists urged citizens and media to witness the truth and join the fight to end this inhuman practice.

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