The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 9: The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 which the state Assembly resolved to adopt in the state aims at prohibition of employment of manual scavengers as well as construction or continuance of dry latrines and for the regulation of construction and maintenance of water-seal latrines.
The Act which has been enacted by the Parliament has been applied in the first instance in the whole of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura and West Bengal and in all the Union Territories.
The state Assembly passed the resolution to enforce the Act in the state too during the Assembly session which had commenced from October 1.
It will be enacted in the whole of the state after the state government publishes it in the official gazette. Sources said that the process for notification is in progress.
The implementing authorities and schemes under this Act as per the Central Act says that the state government by order should publish in the official gazette, appoint a district magistrate or a sub-divisional magistrate as an executive authority to exercise jurisdiction within such areas specified in the order and powers conferred on him.
Under the Act, anyone who fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules or schemes made or orders or directions issued can be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine, which may extend to Rs. 2000, or with both.
Additional fines which may extend to Rs. 100 for every day during which such failures or contraventions continues after the conviction for the first such failure or contravention can also be imposed under the Act.
The state government can make one or more schemes for regulating conversion of dry latrines into, or construction and maintenance of, water-seal latrines, rehabilitation of the persons who were engaged in or employed for as manual scavengers in any area in respect of a notification under sub-section (1) of section 3 under the Act.
If the scheme has no involvement of HUDCO with regard to financial assistance, the schemes may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:
(a) time-bound phased programme for the conversion of dry latrines into water-seal latrines;
(b) provisions of technical or financial assistance for new or alternate low cost sanitation to local bodies or other agencies;
(c) construction and maintenance of community latrines and regulation of their use on pay and use basis;
(d) construction and maintenance of shared latrines in slum areas or for the benefit of socially and economically backward classes of citizens;
(e) registration of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation;
(f) specification and standards of water-seal latrines;
(g) procedure for collection of fees in respect of community latrines or shared latrines.
 

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