By IANS,
New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday issued notice to the Karnataka government over a media report alleging that the practice of manual scavenging still continues in parts of the state.
“If the contents of the report are true, then it raises a serious issue of violation of human rights of the people engaged in manual scavenging,” the commission said in a statement.
“A notice has been issued to the chief secretary of Karnataka, calling for a report in the matter within four weeks. He has also been asked to specify, in particular, the districts in which the practice of manual scavenging is still prevalent and the steps taken by the state government for its eradication,” it added.
According to the media report, manual scavenging was banned in Karnataka in 1970, yet about 8,000 manual scavengers earn their living by clearing human waste.