New Delhi, Aug 24: Deeply concerned over the prevalence of "demeaning" practice of manual scavenging in several parts of the country, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Prime Minister to direct the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to end the practice within a specific time-frame.
"Despite your assurances that the need to end the outraging practice of manual scavenging was included as part of the 15 point initiative on August 15, 2002, it is a sad commentary that the inhuman practice still continues in several states," NHRC chairman A S Anand said in a recent letter to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"The practice of manual scavenging in as affront to human dignity and major social evil which needs to be eliminated," the letter said.
Pointing out that the Commission has been deeply concerned about this "degrading practice" of manual handling of night soil, the letter said NHRC "has been writing to you as well as to the Chief Minister of respective states to put a stop to this socially degrading age old practice."
The letter also said that the Commission has been urging the states to make a commitment to put a stop to this practice atleast by Gandhi Jyanti Day i.e. October 2, 2003.


Bureau Report