Delhi Government Appeals Against Compensation Order for Manual Scavenger’s Widow; Bench Directs Increase to Rs 30 Lakh

The Delhi government has filed an appeal before a two-member bench against the single bench’s order to pay compensation of Rs 30 lakh to the wife of a sweeper who lost his life while carrying manual scavenging in 2017. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued notice to the wife of the deceased in this case and directed the concerned authorities to give her the increased compensation within six weeks.

Delhi government’s counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi told the bench that on the orders of the single bench, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh was given to the wife of the deceased in the same month in which her husband died. Now this matter is closed. Therefore, in this case, the order of the Supreme Court is not applicable in which it has been said that the compensation given to the dependents of those who lost their lives during manual scavenging was increased to Rs 30 lakh. The lawyer also said that the compensation amount is given from the government treasury, hence as per the current government policy, the case should be closed once the payment is made. Now, if increased compensation is given in closed cases, it will create confusion. The court said that you pay the amount in this case, we will see. Without prejudice to the rights and claims of the Government, it is directed to pay the increased amount within six weeks.

The Supreme Court had in October 2023 asked the central and state governments to end the practice of manual scavenging across the country. Besides, Rs 30 lakh was also asked to be given as compensation to the families of those who died while cleaning the sewer. The petitioner woman’s husband died of suffocation on August 6, 2018, after inhaling poisonous gas while working inside the sewer. He had told the single bench that he had already been awarded compensation of Rs 10 lakh, but it should be increased to Rs 30 lakh in accordance with the Supreme Court decision.