NHRC, India 3. Scope of innovative technological solutions for eradicating deaths due to manual scavenging. 7.53 The discussion concluded with the following recommendations to include an increased production of Robot Bandicoot, and fixing of municipal responsibilities for norm violations leading to deaths: ● Increase production of Robot Bandicoot and make it more cost-effective; ● Fix responsibility of local authority for violating the norms resulting in death of manual scavengers; ● Replicate Best Practices across selected Municipal Corporations (Hyderabad, Chennai etc.). NHRC issued an Advisory to the Centre and the States for the protection of the rights of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) amidst Covid-19 7.54 The National Human Rights Commission, India,issued an Advisory on 4 June 2021 to ensure protection of human rights of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), keeping in view media reports about the spread of Covid-19 infection among several of them. According to the Census report of 2011, amongst the 104 million Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, there are 75 such groups who are further marginalised and identified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by the Government of India that accounts to a population of less than one lakh. 7.55 The Commission, in a letter through its Secretary General, Mr. Bimbadhar Pradhan, to the Secretaries of the Union Ministries of Tribal Affairs, Health andFamily Welfare, Union Ministries/ Departments, Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories had asked for the implementation of its recommendations in the Advisory and sought action taken reports within four weeks and for every subsequent month during the Covid-19 pandemic. 7.56 Some of the important recommendations, among others, include the following: i. Frequent RT-PCR testing drives are conducted at doorstep while ensuring prompt delivery of reports with priority to be given to the PVTGs addressing the concern of their persistent digital divide. ii. Ensure vaccination of all the PVTGs having population less than 50 thousand within 60 days by sending mobile medical teams. iii. Ensure supply of Covid-19 medical kit to the PVTGs, which should be followed by consistent awareness generation campaigns across residential vicinities of PVTGs in the local dialect. The use of drones to render essential medical kit can also be promoted to avoid human contact; iv. Regular check on maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitation in the residential vicinity of PVTGs by the staff deputed shouldbe ensured. v. Ensure deployment of dedicated team of doctors/nurses/paramedic staff in nearby PVTG vicinities; ANNUAL REPORT 88 2021-22