Despite being outlawed in 1993 and expanded in 2013 to include septic tanks and sewage systems, manual scavenging tragically persists in India. Defined as manually handling human waste, the task is deeply linked to caste discrimination, disproportionately affecting Dalits. According to government reports, between 2019–2023, approximately 377 people died from hazardous sewer cleaning - though human rights groups argue this figure underestimates the true scale.

The Rajasthan High Court recently demanded state accountability after 11 deaths since March 2025 and slow legal response to fatalities. Simultaneously, a recent incident in Odisha claimed four workers’ lives from asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank.

Initiatives like the NAMASTE mechanisation scheme and Bandicoot sewer-cleaning robots are being deployed. NGOs like the RannSamar Foundation also support victims’ families financially. However, weak enforcement, lack of safety gear, and underreporting continue, meaning thousands remain in peril. Experts call for stronger implementation of laws, better mechanisation, and true rehabilitation to end this “inhuman work” once and for all.