New Delhi, March 12: Expressing concern over slow pace of abolition of manual scavenging and dry latrines, National Human Rights Commission today said the statistics projected in this regard by the public authorities, do not match the ground realities.
Inaugurating a national workshop here on the issue of manual scavenging, NHRC Chairperson Justice (retd) K G Balakrishnan said it is a matter of concern that the states are very slow in implementing the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.
“As it is, even the 1993 Act is a half-hearted effort on abolition of manual scavenging given that there is no authority made accountable therein who can be held responsible for continuance of this practice”, he said.
Equating manual scavengers with bonded labourers, the NHRC Chairperson said that they too need to be rehabilitated in a similar manner.
—–PTI