NHRC, India urges all states for the immediate implementation of Supreme Court’s 14 directives, issued in the case of Dr. Balram Singh v/s Union of India – 2023, to eliminate the practice of manual cleaning of hazardous waste
NHRC, India urges all states for the immediate implementation of Supreme Court’s 14 directives, issued in the case of Dr. Balram Singh v/s Union of India – 2023, to eliminate the practice of manual cleaning of hazardous waste
In view of the continued practice of manual cleaning of hazardous waste, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, in a letter to all the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of States and Union Territories, has asked to ensure the immediate implementation of the 14 directives issued by the Supreme Court in its landmark 2023 judgment (Dr. Balram Singh v/s Union of India, 2023 INSC 950), aimed at eradicating the inhuman and caste-based practice of manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning. The Commission has noted that the practice constitutes to a grave violation of human rights, especially the right to life with dignity and equality before the law.
The Commission has observed that despite the constitutional and legal safeguards, as well as a complete ban announced by the Supreme Court on 29th January, 2025 in six major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad – manual cleaning of hazardous waste continues to be reported in certain parts of the country.
Therefore, the NHRC, India has recommended the immediate implementation of the following measures:
The Commission has also asked the concerned authorities to submit an action taken report within eight weeks.