Swachh Bharat Paradox: Issues and Challenges of Manual Scavengers with Special Reference to the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

Despite the enactment of successive legislations in 1993 and 2013, the dehumanising occupational practice of manual scavenging still persists in India. As members of the Dalit community, manual scavengers continue to confront issues such as marginalisation and gross violation of their dignity. This paper critically examines the socio-legal status of manual scavengers in India by assessing key determinants including the legislative and regulatory measures, the role of the judiciary and civil society, as well as the widely celebrated Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Additionally, the paper provides an empirical analysis of the struggles faced by manual scavengers as frontline workers during the unprecedented humanitarian crisis of COVID-19.