Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:42pm on 30 Sep 2024,Monday India
Government data from over 3,000 urban local bodies across 29 states shows that 91.9% of sewage and septic tank cleaners belong to SC, ST, and OBC categories. Collected under the NAMASTE programme by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, this data highlights the hazardous conditions faced by these workers. Of the surveyed 38,000 individuals, 68.9% identified as SC, 14.7% as OBC, and 8.3% as ST. The programme aims to mechanize sewer maintenance and eliminate fatalities linked to unsafe cleaning practices, following reports of over 377 deaths nationwide.
