Sweepers (manual scavengers) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, have requested the President of India, Pratibha Patil, for permission to commit mass suicide. This is the latest move in a campaign by the city's sweepers to draw attention to their miserable living and working conditions.

The sweepers, who are from the city's Valmiki and Dalit community, have as yet had no response to their letter to the national President. Up to 94 of them have been involved in the campaign, which started in August 2008 after many years of appealing to the state government.

Gandhinagar has 94 recorded manual scavengers, but there are another 70 unofficial sweepers. These labourers earn Rs. 30 (US$ 0.60 = € 0.50) a day and work for 8-10 hours a day, despite government pledges that they should work no more than four.

Related news:

• India, Madhya Pradesh: winning the battle for dignity, Source South Asia, 14 Oct 2008;
• India, New Delhi: cold carts help improve quality of life for manual scavengers, Source South Asia, 14 Oct 2008;
• India: women manual scavengers to meet human rights commission, Source South Asia, 02 Sep 2008

Source:Indian Express, 02 Nov 2008

Tags: on-site sanitation, policies & legislation, south asia