High Court Directs Delhi Govt, MCD To Strictly Comply With Recent Supreme Court Ruling On Manual Scavenging

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and other civic authorities in the national capital to strictly comply with a recent Supreme Court ruling which called for a complete eradication of the practice of manual scavenging.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the authorities to comply with a last month judgment in Balram Singh v. Union of India and Others wherein the Apex Court directed that the compensation in cases of sewer deaths must be increased to Rs.30 lakhs.

In cases of permanent disablement arising from sewer operations, the Supreme Court has directed the increase of compensation to Rupees 20 lakhs and for other forms of disablement, the compensation must be not less than Rs 10 lakhs.

“The Government of NCT of Delhi, the Delhi Jal Board, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and all other authorities are directed to strictly comply with the judgment delivered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Balram Singh (supra),” the bench said.

The court disposed of a bunch of pleas seeking strict enforcement of the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and the Rules framed thereunder.

“In light of the aforesaid judgment delivered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, no further orders are required to be passed in the present writ petitions and the same are, accordingly, disposed of,” the court said.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar in the decision dated October 20 directed that the process of manual cleaning of sewers is completely eradicated and to ensure that no individual has to manually enter sewers for any purpose.

Title: ASHOK AGARWAL v. UOI & ORS

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Del) 1054

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