Manual Scavengers in India: A Marginalized Community

Abstract

Manual scavenging represents one of the most dehumanizing forms of labour in contemporary India, where individuals from historically marginalized communities, particularly Dalits, are compelled to manually remove human excreta from dry latrines, sewers, and septic tanks. This caste-based occupational practice epitomizes structural violence and perpetuates social exclusion despite constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, legally abolished this practice, yet implementation remains severely inadequate. According to the 2018 socio-economic survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, approximately 42,303 manual scavengers were identified across India, though civil society organizations argue the actual number exceeds several hundred thousand due to chronic underreporting and reluctance to document this stigmatized occupation. The majority of manual scavengers belong to Scheduled Castes, with specific sub-castes like Valmikis, Balmikis, Chuhra, and Mehtar communities bearing the disproportionate burden of this occupation across generations.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.66496/LCAP.9788168710108.2026.24-50