BANDICOOT - The World's First Manhole cleaning Robot

The ugly truth a large community in our country is still engaged in Manual Scavenging which has been officially banned by the Supreme Court of India.

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Manual Scavenging is not new to the country; it existed since the dawn of civilization. Manual scavenging has since continued in India and is passed on from generation to generation amongst the less privileged caste in the country. Based on the caste and other societal factors these people are allotted to work in manholes and drainages. Women of these communities are employed to clean dry latrines.

In 2013, the Government of India for the first time acknowledged the cleaning of dry toilets as manual scavenging and made it an illegal offence, punishable by up to two years of imprisonment. The Supreme Court of India officially banned manual scavenging through MS ACT 2013. This Act completely prohibits the profession of people entering manholes and sewer lines for cleaning. The Supreme Court of India expressed serious concern over people dying during manual scavenging and sewage cleaning in India, saying nowhere in the world are send to “gas chambers to die”.