NAMASTE reveals 91.9% of sewer workers belong to marginalized communities
In an effort to chronicle individuals involved in the hazardous cleaning of septic tanks and sewers, the government has collected data from more than 3,000 urban local bodies across 29 states and union territories. Of the 38,000 workers profiled thus far, 91.9% are from SC, ST, or OBC categories. The data reveals that 68.9% workers belong to the SC community, 14.7% from OBCs, 8.3% from STs, and 8% belong to the general category.
According to data presented in Parliament, 377 laborers died between 2019 and 2023 while carrying out dangerous sewer and septic tank cleaning. The profiling is a part of the NAMASTE initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which was started to automate sewage cleaning and stop dangerous sewer cleaning methods and more fatalities. In order to do this, the program replaces the previous Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS). Its goal is to improve working conditions and safety for sanitation employees.
However, the government continues to assert that manual scavenging has been eliminated from India and is now concentrating on the dangers of cleaning septic tanks and sewers. Based on the definitions of their Rehabilitation Act and the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers, a distinction has been made here.
NAMASTE serves all categories of workers engaged in sewage cleaning, including machine operators, cleaners, and drivers of desludging trucks, in addition to manual scavengers. It attempts to create a national profile of these workers, instructs them in safe procedures, equips them with safety gear, and offers financial support to help them launch their own sanitation businesses, or "sanipreneurs."
3,326 urban local bodies have started profiling since the scheme's inception by logging about 38,000 SSWs. Actually, 2,364 urban entities reported having fewer than 10 SSWs apiece, and 283 claimed having no SSWs at all. India employs about one lakh core sanitation personnel throughout its 4,800 urban local bodies, according to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
To safeguard the welfare and safety of these workers, the NAMASTE program developed into an extensive database. During the 2023–24 fiscal year, 31,999 SSWs were verified, Rs 2.26 crore in capital subsidies for alternative work opportunities were granted to 191 workers and their families, and additional Rs 10.6 crore in subsidies were given for sanitation projects that would benefit 413 workers and their families.
Kerala, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir are among the twelve states and union territories that have been profiled; 17 more states and territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, are currently in the process of being profiled. Among the states that run their own programs independently and don't submit data to the federal government are Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
While some states, like Karnataka and Kerala, have outreach initiatives in place to encourage involvement in the profile process, Andhra Pradesh went door-to-door to obtain documented details by visiting homes and workplaces.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
