Lucknow, Oct 8. 2012: For the last three years, the Uttar Pradesh government has not demanded any funds meant to educate children belonging to families of those involved in manual scavenging. The fact came to the fore in a meeting taken by union minister for social justice and empowerment Mukul Vasnik in the city on Wednesday.

Lucknow, Oct 3, 2012: The practice of manual scavenging still persists in the country even after over six decades of Independence, Union minister Mukul Wasnik today said here. "System of scavenging and dry toilets after so many years of independence was a cause of concern," said Wasnik, Union minister for Social Justice and Empowerment. During a meeting to review a campaign to abolish system of dry toilets and scavenging, he said that officers should work dedicatedly to implement Nirmal Bharat campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

New Delhi, Sept. 28, 2012: Rajkumar and his brother Mukesh from Etah in Western Uttar Pradesh have been employed by the Delhi Jal Board through a contractor to clean drains.

Despite ‘manual scavenging’ coming under severe criticism from all quarters and the Prime Minister terming it a ‘repulsive practice’, it continues unabated even in the heart of Delhi. Recently, the camera captured men going down the drain in Bhogal, South Central Delhi, and that too without any protective gear.

Ludhiana, Sept 27, 2012: Even though manual scavenging under the “Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993” was made an offence, the Punjab government is letting the practice continue unchecked in eight of its districts.

The state government had not taken any steps towards rehabilitating the sanitation workers. Though it had not implemented the central act, it made misleading and false statements before the Supreme Court of India.

New Delhi, Sept. 26, 2012: A two-day Workshop on “Finalization of Revised and Updated Manual on Sewerage and Sewage Treatment(Part-A: Engineering)”was organized by Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), Ministry of Urban Development in association with Japan Industrial Cooperation Agency (JICA) in New Delhi recently. The Manual has been prepared with the financial assistance of JICA.

Luckow, Sept. 26, 2012: Despite the practice being banned two decades back, manual scavenging continues without a hitch in Uttar Pradesh.   As reported to the Supreme Court last month, UP has more than 3 lakh dry latrines, which is around 40% of the national figure. The state, however, has no data on the actual number of night soil carriers. The government has begun a district-wise survey of the same after the apex court pulled up the state for not filing affidavit on the number of manual scavengers.

Chennai, Sept. 21, 2012: The Greater Chennai area, home to tech parks and gated communities, uses more manual scavengers and animals to keep its toilets clean than any other part of the state.

The 2011 census shows that Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, including areas within the extended areas of Chennai Corporation, have the largest number of dry toilets in the state. These toilets "are serviced by humans and pigs".

Srinagar, Sept. 19, 2012: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to conduct a fresh survey to ensure that no one is involved in manual scavenging, which is banned by law. The state authorities should conduct a survey to see if there is still any case of manual scavenging going on as it is banned now, Wasnik said chairing a high-level meeting of state government officials here yesterday.

Alwar, Sept. 13, 2012: After living on the fringes of the society for a long time, scavengers are slowly becoming a part of the mainstream. With an increased awareness about the discrimination against them, manual scavengers are building the courage to share their stories with the world.

Some of them flew to France on Wednesday to attend a convention on industrial and economic growth, where they will narrate their story about life transforming experiences.

New Delhi, Sept. 10, 2012: Rapped by the Supreme Court for its failure to eliminate manual scavenging 65 years post-Independence, the government introduced in the just-concluded monsoon session of Parliament a new Bill to prohibit the practice and bar manual cleaning of septic tanks and sewers across India.

The law, “The Prohibition of Employment as manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill 2012”, makes such employment a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The government admitted that existing laws had failed to deliver.