'We Must End it': Mumbai MP After Video Shows Man Cleaning Gutter in Bandra Despite Decade-Old Ban on Manual Scavenging

Mumbai: More than a decade after India passed a law banning the inhuman practice of manual scavenging, a disturbing video has surfaced from Bandra, one of Mumbai’s most prominent areas, showing a man cleaning a gutter with his bare hands. In the video, the man can be seen inside the gutter, shirtless, manually removing waste with his bare hands. As per information this incident reportedly took place in a well-known residential society in a posh area of Bandra.  

Mumbai North Central MP and Mumbai Regional Congress Committee President recently shared the video on X, demanding strict action against those responsible for allowing or enforcing such inhuman practices.

Expressing outrage, the MP wrote, “Over a decade after India passed a law banning this inhuman practice, and despite multiple Supreme Court judgments demanding dignity, safety, and protective gear for sanitation workers—we are still here.”

She emphasized that even with technological advancements, manual scavenging continues, questioning why the responsibility still falls on individuals when automated solutions exist.

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“A Human Rights Violation”

In her statement, she condemned the practice, calling it a violation of human rights. “Machines exist. Technologies are available. What’s missing is our will. Manual scavenging isn’t just a job; it’s a human rights violation,” she stated. She also criticized Mumbai’s municipal authorities, urging them to invest in automated cleaning systems to prevent such incidents in the future.

With Mumbai being home to the country’s richest civic body, she argued that there is no justification for the continued use of unsafe and unlawful labor practices.