- Why in news
- On 21 July 2026, the Minister of State for Social Justice told the Lok Sabha that 332 sanitation workers died cleaning sewers and septic tanks in 18 States/UTs between January 2021 and June 2026. He reaffirmed enforcement of the MS Act, 2013.
- What it is
- The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 bans manual scavenging, insanitary latrines and hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. It also provides for rehabilitation of identified manual scavengers. It replaced the 1993 Act, which had a narrower scope.
- Commencement
- The Act came into force on 6 December 2013.
- Penalty under Section 8
- Employing a manual scavenger is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, a fine up to ₹1 lakh, or both.
- Deaths data source
- The figure of 332 deaths in 18 States/UTs (Jan 2021 to June 2026) comes from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis.
- FIRs
- 193 FIRs were registered in the last five years against agencies and officials responsible for hazardous manual cleaning.
- Predecessor law
- The 2013 Act replaced the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.
- Judicial backing
- In Safai Karamchari Andolan v. Union of India (2014), the Supreme Court directed implementation of the Act and compensation of ₹10 lakh for sewer deaths.
Don’t confuse with NCSK vs NCSC: NCSK is a statutory body for sanitation workers. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is a constitutional body under Article 338.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Protects dignity and the right to life under Article 21, and supports Article 17 on untouchability.
- Targets a practice tied to caste, as manual scavenging falls mostly on Dalit communities.
Problems
- Deaths continue: 332 in 18 States/UTs in about five and a half years, against 193 FIRs.
- Under-reporting and denial: surveys report no manual scavengers, while sewer deaths continue, and no separate evaluation of mechanised cleaning has been done.
- Weak rehabilitation, contractor-based outsourcing by local bodies and poor mechanisation.
Way forward
- Mandate mechanised cleaning and independently audit it in all States and UTs.
- Prosecute officials and contractors, and ensure prompt compensation and rehabilitation.
- Improve data through third-party surveys and social audits.
Put in your answer
Sewer deaths 2021-June 2026: 332 deaths in 18 States/UTs, per NCSK, show the gap between the law and practice.
Safai Karamchari Andolan (2014): The Supreme Court directed enforcement of the Act and ₹10 lakh compensation for sewer deaths.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statement I and II
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements in the context of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013:
- Statement-I: Under Section 8 of the Act, a person or agency employing a manual scavenger can be punished with imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, or both.
- Statement-II: The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis is a constitutional body under Article 338 of the Constitution.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
True or false?
1 of 7
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Act came into force on 6 December 2013.
True. Commencement date was 6 December 2013.
2.Under Section 8, employing a manual scavenger can attract imprisonment up to five years.
False. The maximum imprisonment under Section 8 is two years, with a fine up to ₹1 lakh, or both.
3.The Act replaced the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.
True. The 1993 Act was replaced by the 2013 Act.
4.The data on deaths of sanitation workers cited in the Lok Sabha reply was supplied by the National Human Rights Commission.
False. The data came from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis.
5.The Act covers hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks as well as insanitary latrines.
True. The 2013 Act widened the ban beyond dry latrines to hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
6.The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis is a constitutional body under Article 338.
False. NCSK is a statutory body, set up under the NCSK Act, 1993, not a constitutional body.
7.The Supreme Court in Safai Karamchari Andolan v. Union of India (2014) directed compensation of ₹10 lakh to families of those who died in sewer work.
True. The 2014 judgment directed ₹10 lakh compensation for sewer deaths since 1993.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The Lok Sabha was told that 332 sanitation workers died cleaning sewers and septic tanks in 18 States/UTs between January 2021 and June 2026, even as the Government reaffirmed enforcement of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Examine the key provisions of the Act and discuss the challenges in its implementation.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.