Around 400 individuals died cleaning septic tanks between 2018 and 2023, while activist organizations estimate over a million people, largely Dalits, remain in manual scavenging. India daily generates 73 billion liters of sewage against an installed treatment capacity of 44%, with only a third of total daily sewage generation actually treated.
India, Bihar, Maharashtra, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Tokyo, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany
Who
practitioners of manual scavenging, including Dalits and women; Central Pollution Control Board; International Fertiliser Association
What
Around 400 individuals died cleaning septic tanks between 2018 and 2023, while activist organizations estimate over a million people, largely Dalits, remain in manual scavenging. India daily generates 73 billion liters of sewage against an installed treatment capacity of 44%, with only a third of total daily sewage generation actually treated.
When
Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:35:21 GMT · 1h 19m ago
Where
India, Bihar, Maharashtra, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Tokyo, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany ·
Why
The issue is rooted in traditional caste-based labor systems and has persisted due to insufficient modern sanitation infrastructure, despite legal prohibitions against manual scavenging. The 2011 Socio Economic and Caste Census identified roughly 2.6 million insanitary latrines, many of which still require manual cleaning, further exacerbating the problem.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
India's reliance on manual scavenging causes significant loss of life and health issues among sanitation workers, particularly Dalits and women, with some estimates suggesting over a million people are still involved in the practice. The nation simultaneously faces a missed economic opportunity to recover valuable nutrients from its vast sewage output, importing billions of dollars in fertilizers that could partially be sourced domestically via modern wastewater treatment, easing its forex crisis and enabling national self-sufficiency.
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