New Delhi, October 20(Press Ki Taquat)
Expressing anguish over sewer deaths due to the practice of manual scavenging, the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed government authorities to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the families of those who die while cleaning sewers.
A Bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Aravind Kumar ordered that those who suffered permanent disabilities would be paid Rs 20 lakh as minimum compensation and Rs 10 lakh will have to be paid to those suffering from other disabilities caused while cleaning sewers.
The order brings uniformity in compensation amounts in sewer death cases that vary from state to state.
While pronouncing the verdict, Justice Bhat quoted Dr BR Ambedakar, “Ours is a battle not for wealth of power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for reclamation of human personality.”
As many as 347 persons have died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in India in the last five years.
The government agencies must coordinate to ensure that such incidents did not occur, the Bench said, posting the matter for further monitoring on February 1.
