Sewer and Septic Tank Workers in India: Union Social Justice Ministry Survey

• Union Social Justice Ministry reveals sewer and septic tank cleaning as an occupation-based work, not caste-based.

• Survey, part of the NAMASTE programme, shows 92% of workers profiled were from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Other Backward Classes communities.

• A total of 54,574 workers across 33 states and union territories were profiled and validated.

• The survey is part of the NAMASTE programme, aimed at mechanising sewer work and preventing deaths due to hazardous cleaning work.

• The Centre argues that manual scavenging has ended and hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks needs to be addressed.