Living on the Margins: An interpretative study of Sanitation Workers amidst COVID-19

Abstract

This paper deals with the inhuman ordeal of sanitation workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins with the assessment of historical conditions such as the caste system, responsible for the marginalization and grave humiliation of manual scavengers in contemporary India. It is difficult for them to break away from their jobs because of the caste system which traditionally dictates the person’s occupation. As a result, the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic has further disenfranchised their state, forcing them to work at the forefront, clearing toxic waste without basic protective gear. This inclines towards the dangerous effects on the health of the sanitation workers and the urgent need to highlight their plight in the mainstream media. The paper also discusses labour laws and political measures of upliftment to understand the constitutional provisions. Certainly, the ideals of equality and justice do not stand closer to truth in the face of the miserable condition of manual scavengers amidst COVID 19.