Sewer-worker deaths expose the shameful reality of our caste-ridden society

Following the decease of 2 workers, Ramasre and Babundra successful a Sarojini Nagar sewer successful October this year, allegedly aft inhaling poisonous gas, the member of the former, Mukesh, told this writer, “The mediocre absorption of the city’s sewage strategy and deficiency of information cogwheel proved to beryllium his decease sentence.” Ramasre’s household didn’t conscionable grieve his decease — they besides grieved the dignity that had been denied to them and others similar them for generations. Such deaths are akin to organization murder.

Manual scavengers hazard changeless vulnerability to toxic gases and infections. Protective cogwheel is uncommon and workers person died owed to suffocation wrong the sewers. The decease of a manual scavenger is simply a chilling reminder of however the authorities is apathetic towards caste-based oppression. The lack of immoderate tangible enactment from section authorities and the negligent cognition of the authorities and non-state actors enables recruiters to exploit these people. The structural and systematic inequalities they endure are excessively large to flooded by simply raising consciousness astir the occupation among a fewer municipality privileged people.

According to The Indian Express, successful Delhi, 94 individuals person mislaid their lives portion cleaning sewers successful the past 15 years. However, conscionable 1 lawsuit — retired of the 75 fatalities for which information are disposable — has resulted successful the victims receiving justness successful the signifier of a tribunal condemnation (‘Delhi’s soiled secret: For 75 sewer deaths implicit 15 years, lone 1 conviction’, IE, December 1). With astir members of the assemblage not having overmuch ceremonial education, it is hard for them to unafraid employment elsewhere. The ones who bash negociate to get jobs successful antithetic sectors are prey to casteism, stigma, and discrimination.

Let america ne'er hide the harrowing truths of manual scavenging and clasp to relationship the authorities who let this to continue. For acold excessively long, nine has reaped the benefits of the tireless labour of the ones astatine the bottom, the radical who person been the invisible backbone of astir large developments. Until the authorities makes and implements robust and effectual policies to tackle the contented and strives to destruct manual scavenging astatine the grassroots, nary societal mobility oregon communal dignity volition beryllium found. The caste strategy and progressive caste-based favoritism are not relics of the past — they are precise overmuch live and breathing. The impervious is successful the accordant marginalisation of the radical from the periphery.

The writer is adjunct prof of Sociology, Lakshmibai College, Delhi University