Supreme Court fines PWD ₹5 lakh for manual sewer-cleaning near Court premises

On September 18, 2025 (Thursday), the Supreme Court (SC) of India imposed a penalty of ₹5,00,000 on the Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) after evidence showed labourers, including a minor, manually cleaning a sewer outside Gate F of the Court premises. The top Court bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar issued directions prohibiting manual sewer cleaning and scavenging. The Court directed the PWD to deposit the fine with the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis within four weeks.

Coming down heavily on the civic body, the Court remarked: “officials need to wake up from slumber to ensure directions are complied with.” It went a step further by warning that “Let the fine be recovered from the officers themselves,” thereby signalling that accountability should not stop at the institutional level but extend to individual officials. The Bench also cautioned that “in the event of recurring, this court would be compelled to direct registration of FIR[s],” a rare but firm warning that breaches of its orders may invite criminal liability for responsible officers.

The order is part of the court’s continuing lapse in the implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which outlaws manual scavenging and mandates rehabilitation of affected workers. Despite statutory prohibitions, the practice continues in many parts of India. In January 2025, the SC issued sweeping directions prohibiting manual sewer-cleaning in six major metropolitan cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, and instructed municipal commissioners and civic heads to file affidavits on compliance. 

Yesterday’s incident, taking place right at the Court’s doorstep, highlighted the gap between legal mandates and administrative reality. Legal experts note that the inclusion of a minor worker in the reported incident raises serious concerns not only under the Manual Scavengers Act but also under child labour laws and fundamental rights to health and dignity. Delhi PWD has been ordered to pay the fine and produce evidence of compliance. The Court is also likely to keep a check on whether municipal corporations mechanize sewer cleaning and implement safety features for sanitation workers. Civil society organizations have received the judgment as a much-needed nudge against the continued use of dangerous and dehumanising methods. This decision highlights the courts' commitment to protecting the rights of India's most marginalized workers and sends a strong message: manual scavenging and unsafe sewer-cleaning are not tolerated in a constitutional democracy.