MANUAL SCAVENGERS: A CASE OF DENIED RIGHTS
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Abstract
An inhuman practise of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling the human excreta from dry latrines and sewers with bare hands, brooms or metal scrappers is known as manual scavenging and the people who does this are known as manual scavengers. It is a profession which has been existed from human civilisations of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. It is said that the manual scavenging has been started in 1214 in Europe when the public toilets firth appeared. From there on, in urge of earning errands people started to work by cleaning these toilets.
The historical background of manual scavenging is the dates back in India in ancient times. According to the contents of the scriptures and other literature, scavenging is a practised by specific caste in India exist since the beginning of the civilisation. One of the 15 duties of slaves enumerated in Naradiya Samhita was of manual scavenging. This continued during the Buddhist and Maurya period also. In India, Jahangir built a public toilet at Alvar, 120kms away from Delhi for 100 families in 1556 AD. Not much documentary evidence exist about its maintenance so the scholars suggested that the Mughal women with the purdah required enclosed toilets need to be scavenged. The scavenging caste are known bydifferent names in different states like Bhangi, Balmiki, Chuhra, Mehtar, Lal Begi, Halalkhor etc.
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