India's National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) reports that 77% of sewer and septic workers are Dalits, reflecting entrenched caste discrimination. Despite the government's ban on manual scavenging aimed to end hazardous labor, many Dalits remain trapped in these jobs, unable to secure other municipal positions. The Clean India Initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not effectively addressed this issue. Activists, including Bezwada Wilson, criticize the government's solutions as insufficient, labeling them as mere repackaging of caste discrimination rather than genuine progress.
At least 77% of India's 38,000 sewer and septic workers are from the Dalit community, highlighting systemic caste-based employment in sanitation.
Despite the ban on manual scavenging, Dalits continue to perform these hazardous jobs, often denied opportunities for other municipal employment.
Bezwada Wilson emphasizes that the government's approach to rehabilitating manual scavengers is inadequate, as it masks continued caste discrimination.
NAMASTE is criticized for perpetuating caste discrimination by promoting mechanization while failing to address the underlying social inequalities in employment.
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