XI. MANUAL SCAVENGING The Commission has increasingly expressed its dismay about the inhuman and degrading practice of manual handling of night soil, which is prevalent even today in many parts of the country. The Commission views this as a grave affront to human dignity and a major social evil. It finds acquiescence in this practice totally abhorrent. Indeed, despite the launching of a national scheme in March 1992 to liberate and rehabifitate those engaged in this demeaning work, the Commission has observed that the implementation of the scheme is appalling, except in a few States. This speaks of an apathy, bordering on the unforgivable, in respect of a deep societal wrong. 11.1 t i .2 The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 prohibits the employment of manual scavengers as well as constructionor continuance of dry latrines. The Central Government, pursuant to the Act, issued a notification on 24 January 1997 bringing the Act into force from 26 January 1997 in all the Union Territories and six states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura and West Bengal. 11.3 But implementationin these States and elsewhere has been abysmal. The Commission has therefore pursued this matter through letters addressed to the Union Ministers of Social Justice and Empowerment, Urban Affairs and Employmentand the Chief Ministers of all States/ Administrators of UTs on 24 January 1997 and 8 February 1997 respectively. It has also brought up this matter in the course of discussions with the State Governments. 11 -4 The Commission has, in addition, been in regular touch with the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Ministry of Urban Affairs, the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, in order to evolve suitable measures to eradicate this social evil and to give impetus to this effort. 11.5 The Commission continues to pursue this matter. It takes this opportunity to remind the political, administrative and civic leadership of the country that the practice of manual scavenging is a standing indictment of our society and that the nation has a compelling duty to give to this problem the attention that it deserves. As of the end of the reporting period, the position in terms of the applicability of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 was as follows: 11.6 The Central Act was applicable in: Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura, West Bengal and all UTs.