After receiving rakhis from manual scavengers with a plea to liberate them from their traditional occupation, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to at least two district authorities of Gujarat, and sought a report on the status of manual scavenging in the state.

This comes at the back of manual scavengers sending rakhis to MLAs, district collectors and other government officials with the same plea on this year’s Independence Day. Newsline had reported this on August 14.

In its September 6 notice to the district magistrates and police superintendents of Rajkot and Surendranagar, the NHRC has asked to submit a report on the issue within four weeks. It has further said that “in default, the Commission may proceed to take such action as it deems proper.”

Both district collectors were, however, categorical in denying the existence of manual scavenging in their respective districts. “Our officials have visited the area from where the rakhis were sent, but there is nothing of that sort happening there,” said Surendranagar Collector JD Bhad. “We have already sent our reply to the NHRC. There is no manual scavenging happening in the entire district,” he added.

Rajkot Collector HS Patel said that while the practice of manually cleaning human waste is a thing of past in Gujarat, he has still sought a report from the DDO in this regard.

“Such complaints are filed by vested interests. We shall reply to the notice once we get the report from the DDO,” he said.

According to the state government, at present there are nearly 60,000 sanitary workers (read manual scavengers) in Gujarat, out of which, around 12,000 were rehabilitated by 2007. The government was also pulled up by the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis in June this year for failing to protect the sanitary workers from occupational hazards, which often prove fatal.

“There is no other alternative, but to do this dirty job,” said Madhu Purbiya from Vichhiya village of Jasdan taluka, Rajkot, one of the women who had sent rakhi to the NHRC. “I received a letter from the NHRC too. I still clean the open toilets manually, as there is just no other way I can earn bread for my family,” she added.

“Our father passed away four years ago and we are yet to get his pension. My younger brother is studying, while I work as a casual labourer, with no fixed income,” said Munna, Madhu’s son.