Sita is a young woman living in a small village in rural India. She belongs to a lower-caste community that has traditionally been associated with manual scavenging. Sita's parents were manual scavengers, and as a child, she had often accompanied them on their rounds, collecting and disposing of the excreta of their higher-caste neighbours. When Sita turned 18, she decided that she didn't want to continue with this degrading and unhealthy work. She wanted to break free from the cycle of poverty and discrimination that had trapped her community for generations. However, finding alternative employment was not easy. Sita had little education and few skills, and the only jobs available to her were in the informal sector, where wages were low and working conditions were poor. One day, Sita heard about a job opportunity at the local municipality. The municipality was looking for a "safai karamchari" to clean the streets and dispose of the garbage. Sita applied for the job and was selected. At first, Sita was excited about her new job. She earned a regular wage and had the satisfaction of doing work that was important to the community. However, as time went on, Sita began to realize that her job involved much more than just cleaning the streets. She was often asked to clean and dispose of the excreta of people who were unable to do so themselves, either because of age, illness, or disability. Sita was uncomfortable with this aspect of her job and found it demeaning and degrading. She knew that manual scavenging was illegal and that it violated the rights of the individuals she was asked to serve. She also knew that it carried serious health risks, as she had to work without protective gear or equipment. However, Sita was afraid to speak out or to refuse the tasks that were assigned to her. She needed the job to support her family and was afraid of losing it if she complained or refused to do the work. She also feared social ostracism and discrimination if she went against the traditional roles and expectations of her community. a) Identify the ethical issues involved in this case b) What role do the municipality and the community play in addressing the issue of manual scavenging in this case? c) What can be done at the societal level to address the root causes of manual scavenging and to promote the rights and dignity of those affected by it?

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Syllabus: Case Studies on above issues.