Centre says no death reported due to manual scavenging, activists decry govt response4Photo© timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Centre says no death reported due to manual scavenging, activists decry govt response

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No death has been reported due to manual scavenging, the Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has told Parliament, drawing sharp reaction from activists who said that those people were being robbed of dignity even in their deaths.

Manual scavenging is banned under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said 66,692 manual scavengers were identified.