Data shows 92% septic tank cleaning workers from SC, ST, OBC; Govt says not caste-based work

New Delhi: The Union government has informed Parliament that cleaning septic tanks and sewers is an "occupation-based activity" rather than a caste-based work. Citing its first-ever assessment of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) in Indian cities and towns, the Union Social Justice Ministry provided this information in parliament on Tuesday, December 18, according to The Hindu.

In response to a query from Congress MP Kuldeep Indora, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale stated that of the 54,574 SSWs from 33 States and Union Territories who have been profiled and validated thus far under the government's NAMASTE program, 67.91% (37,060) were from scheduled caste communities, 15.73% (8,587) were from OBC communities, 8.31% (4,536) were from scheduled tribe communities, and 8.05% (4,391) belonged to the General Category, the Wire reported.

“Sewer and septic tank cleaning is an occupation-based activity rather than caste-based,” Athawale said in the parliament.

Nonetheless, the data shows that SC, ST, and OBC populations account for roughly 92% of SSWs nationwide. Between 2019 and 2023, at least 377 persons nationwide lost their lives as a result of dangerous septic tank and sewer cleaning, according to government data presented to Parliament.

The Union administration has insisted that manual scavenging as a practice has ended the issue of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks needs to be addressed.

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act define hazardous cleaning and manual scavenging differently, which is the basis for this differentiation.