Thane: Responding to Thane Municipal Corporation’s claim that Manual Scavenging does not exist in Thane, the city’s youth group has now launched a citizens’ campaign called #ClickTheTruth. The youth group aims to engage citizens by calling them to click pictures of manual scavenging happening around them in order to collate evidence, establishing the existence of both Manual scavengers and the practice of Manual Scavenging taking place every day in the city.
In an RTI filed by Muse Foundation with the Sewerage Department of TMC on September 27, 2021 seeking information on ‘provisional list of Manual Scavengers published’ and a ‘list of self-declared manual scavengers and information on their rehabilitation’, TMC had responded stating the questions are ‘Not Applicable’.
"Additionally, on asking for the list of manual scavengers submitted to the District Level Survey Committee, TMC replied, ‘’The Thane Municipal Corporation’s Sewerage Department does not carry out any manual scavenging work for the maintenance of the sewerage system and thus no Safai Karmacharis are engaged in such work. The sewage system is cleaned mechanically by the jetting and connection vehicle through the sewerage department," said Nishant Bangera, founder, Muse Foundation.
Bangera added, the above responses undoubtedly indicate that Thane Municipal Corporation denies any existence of Manual Scavengers in the city. By their logic, since there is no existent of manual scavenging, these law-prescribed surveys and the creation of provisional lists are not applicable to them.
"The city has seen young workers dying by entering into septic tanks. TMC’s claim is not only disrespectful but also plain ignorant towards everyone who are into this hazardous occupation out of compulsion and discrimination. Because of the fact that TMC and its elected members have not enacted the law appropriately, people have to continue suffering. Lack of alternative employment and any rehabilitation programme only worsens their condition further," added Bangera.
The campaign also aims to create awareness among citizens about the illegality of Manual Scavenging urging them to not employ any persons for the same. Bangera claimed its almost 500 days and no justice is given to the three youths Amit, Aman and Ajay who died in such an incident. "Over two and a half years ago these three youths died due to manual scavenging at Pride presidency luxuria, Thane. No rehabilitation or compensation is given to their family despite of continuous following up with TMC and the State Government," added Bangera.
"All the photographic evidence will be collated by Muse Foundation and sent to the commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation requesting him to enact the law with immediate effect, thus ensuring end of Manual Scavenging in the city. These pictures are to be sent to Muse Foundation’s social media page or can be emailed to musemovies13@gmail.com or can directly be uploaded with #ClickTheTruth," said Shreyas Pande, Project Lead, Human Rights, Muse Foundation.
The youth group has also requested citizens to blur the faces of the persons while uploading the pictures.
"Despite a law which has been in existence for the past 28 years and bans the practice of manual scavenging, people continue to die entering sewers and septic tanks across the country. Municipal Corporations and the entire Political diaspora have failed to implement the law which goes on to show their continued apathy towards this caste based discrimination," added Pande.
