State cleared of manual scavengers
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 11 2013:
An official team from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India had visited Manipur to check whether there are people who work as manual scavengers in the State or not.
However, after an intensive survey conducted by the respective Deputy Commissioners of the district, a report was send to the Centre informing that there is 'no traces of manual scavengers in Manipur' .
According to reports reaching Hueiyen Lanpao, with development process coming up in all aspects of human society, people who used to work as manual scavengers have ceased to exist in the State as well as in other parts of the country.
However, in the population survey report of the State 2011, possibility of the existence of manual scavengers in parts of Lilong area was mentioned.
Consequently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, wrote a letter to the authorities concerned of the State Government to check the existence of manual scavengers in Manipur.
Accordingly, the process to investigate into the matter was started by the concerned department of the State Government.
A team of the Ministry had also visited the State in this connection but no trace of manual scavengers could be found during the investigation.
Meanwhile, the State Government entrusted the MOBC and Schedule Caste Department to look into the matter and investigate existence of manual scavengers in the State.
Accordingly, a Survey on Manual Scavenger in Statutory Town of Manipur was taken up under the initiative of MOBC.
The survey further extended the investigation process through involvement of respective Deputy Commisioners of the district but no report on the presence of manual scavengers could be found.
As such, finally a report stating that there is no manual scavenger in the State has been sent to the Ministry.
Since the works done by manual scavengers is against social justice, machines are being used today in all parts of the country, the source added.