Nearly a century after Mahatma Gandhi first called for the abolition of manual scavenging, the degrading practice continues. Between 2002 and 2003, the Indian Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment admitted to the existence of 676,000 scavengers. However, these figures may have been underestimated because scavenging is illegal. According to one survey by Bezwada Wilson of the Safai Karmachari Association, an estimated 12 lakh (1.2 million) scavengers are present in the country. According to Sulabh, four to five million people were working as scavengers in 2005 and were often employed by the local civil bodies to clean excrement in public places. This situation persists despite the fact that the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993, is in enforcement, which provides for the prohibition of the employment of manual scavengers as well as construction or continuance of dry latrines and for the regulation of construction and maintenance of water-seal latrines for assuring the dignity of the individual, as enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution. The working conditions of the sanitary workers have remained virtually unchanged for over a century. Using only a stick broom and a small tin plate, the sanitary workers clear feces from public and private latrines onto baskets or other containers, which they then carry on their heads to dumping grounds and disposal sites. A few, however, are provided with wheelbarrows or carts by the municipal authorities.Apart from the social atrocities that these workers face, they are also exposed to certain health problems by virtue of their occupation. These health hazards include exposure to harmful gases, cardiovascular degeneration, musculoskeletal disorders, infections, skin problems and respiratory system problems.

EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL GASES

The workers are commonly exposed to gases like hydrogen disulfide, methane, ammonia and carbon monoxide. Watt et al. studied 26 sewer workers exposed to smell and found that 53.8% developed sub-acute symptoms including sore throat, cough, chest tightness, breathlessness, thirst, sweating, irritability and loss of libido. Severity of symptoms seemed to be dose related. Richardson studied exposure to hydrogen sulfide in 68 sewer workers and found that the FEV/FVC values were lower in sewer workers who had a high H2S exposure.