The Hindu : National : Eliminate dry latrines for manual scavenging to go: Meira

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Eliminate dry latrines for manual scavenging to go: Meira

Special Correspondent

March 2009, target date for rehabilitation of manual scavengers
Sanitary latrines for all rural households by 2012

NEW DELHI: Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar has urged Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja to ensure that all dry latrines in rural areas are converted into water seal latrines by March 2009. That is also the target date for rehabilitation of remaining manual scavengers.

She has pointed out that eradication of manual scavenging is a high priority and it is intended to be achieved by enforcement of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.

In separate letters to the Ministers, Ms. Kumar said the conversion of dry latrines was the key to eliminating manual scavenging. For rehabilitation to be permanent, it was necessary to ensure that no dry latrine existed in the country. The Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers aimed at rehabilitation of the remaining workers and their dependents by March 2009.

Ms. Kumar said the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry, through its Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme, aimed at converting dry latrines into water seal latrines by March 2010. This scheme was limited to urban areas.

However, for the vast majority of the population living in rural areas, the Total Sanitation Campaign Scheme was being implemented by the Rural Development Ministry.

The aim was to provide sanitary latrines to all households in rural areas by 2012. This included conversion of dry latrines into pour flush latrines.

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