Observing that there were some lacunae in the appointment orders issued to legal heirs of manual scavengers (who died while performing duties), Telangana High Court had directed the State government to modify the orders.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili passed the direction while hearing suo motu a PIL petition based on a newspaper report over death of two persons while cleaning a septic tank in Kondapur last year. Earlier, the bench sought several details like the number of persons engaged for manual scavenging in the State, the rehabilitation measures for them and benefits extended to the kith and kin of manual scavengers in the event of the latter’s death while performing duties.
In response to the points raised by the HC, the government furnished some details including appointment letters issued to legal heirs of manual scavengers who died while cleaning clogged drains or tanks. Perusing one of the appointment letters issued by the HMDA authorities, the CJ expressed concern over conditions imposed in the appointment letters.
