Bombay HC Orders State Govt To Pay ₹30 Lakh Each To Families Of 2 Manual Scavenging Victims

Mumbai, July 8, 2026: Observing that the continued existence of manual scavenging is "a serious blot on a civilised society", the Bombay High Court's Aurangabad Bench has directed the Maharashtra government to pay Rs 30 lakh each as compensation to the families of two men who died while cleaning a septic tank in Nanded district in 2021.

A Bench of Justices Nitin Suryawanshi and Vaishali Patil-Jadhav passed the order on July 6 while hearing petitions filed by a 32-year-old widow and a 70-year-old mother seeking compensation for the deaths of their family members.

The court directed the State Social Justice Department to release the compensation within eight weeks of receiving a proposal from the Nanded District Collector. It said the amount would carry 6 per cent annual interest if payment is delayed.

Court's Strong Observations

"The continued existence of manual scavenging is a serious blot on a civilised society and reflects the collective failure to completely eradicate this inhuman and degrading practice," the Bench observed.

It further noted, "Incidents of death due to manual scavenging compel us to introspect as to how far we have truly realised the constitutional vision of equality, dignity and fraternity."

Deaths During Septic Tank Cleaning

The two men, both daily-wage labourers, died of asphyxia and drowning while cleaning a septic tank on private premises without protective equipment. According to the petitioners, the property owner had not obtained permission from the local authority for the hazardous work.

The widow informed the court that her husband, a fisherman who also worked in construction and other labour jobs, was the family's sole breadwinner. After his death, she has been surviving as an agricultural labourer while raising their nine-year-old son. The other deceased worker's elderly parents said they became dependent on their younger sons after losing him.

State Held Liable

The Government Pleader argued that under a 2019 government resolution, compensation was the responsibility of the private property owner. However, the advocate for the owner of the premises submitted that his client had already paid Rs 2.25 lakh to each family in 2022 under the Collector's directions.

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Relying on earlier Supreme Court and High Court rulings, the Bench held the State liable to pay compensation, while clarifying that it may recover the amount from the contractor, agency, or other persons responsible for violating the law.

The court also directed the authorities to examine whether the petitioners are eligible for rehabilitation under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act within 12 weeks.

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