Patna: Demanding an end to the practise of
scavengers carrying night soil on their heads, LJP president
Ramvilas Paswan, party leaders and activists on Tuesday courted
arrest here.
Hundreds of LJP workers marched in a procession to the
busy R-block and courted arrest but were later freed, police
said.
The LJP leader called for regularisation of sweepers
appointed on contract saying those on government pay roll were
inadequate in number to meet the demand.
"The monthly salary of sweepers should also be hiked
from Rs 7,000 to Rs 15,000 as received by Group D employees in
government offices," he demanded.
A commission should be formed to look into the
problems of the sweepers, he said adding that they should be
included in the BPL list and one acre of land be provided to
each family.
LJP would demonstrate before Parliament in New Delhi on
March 9 demanding immediate dismissal of the Bihar government
for neglecting the demands of scavengers.
According to government data, nearly 1.3 million people
are engaged in manual scavenging across India.
Manual scavenging has been banned in the country since
1993 by a law that also prohibits use of unplumbed toilets.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 05, 2010, 17:51