"State Government has failed to implement provisions of Manual Scavengers Act in spite of series of directions": Karnataka HC

On Tuesday, A Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Vishwajith Shetty noted that the State Government has failed to implement the provisions of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act in spite of many directions issued by the Court pertaining to this issue.

The Indian Constitution does not permit any form of manual scavenging: HC observed.

In December 2020, the court stated that manual scavenging is a "most inhuman" practice and passed a series of directions to make sure the proper implementation of the Manual Scavengers Act.

This observation was made by the Court while hearing plea praying for the abolition of the practice of manual scavenging in Karnataka.

The bench while heating the matter on Tuesday expressed its dissatisfaction with the State government for not implementing the High Court's order in this regard. However, the court gave one more opportunity to the state Government to file a compliance affidavit.

Further, when Advocate Clifton intimated the Court about two manual scavengers who suffocated to death in a manhole at Kalaburagi on January 28, the Court on a shocking note ordered the State Government to place on record the action taken against the persons behind the crime (apart from registering First Information Report).

The matter has been posted for hearing next on February 10.