This photo of Mechanised scavenging equipment is from India, not China
A social media post (here, here and here) featuring two images side by side: one showing manual scavenging and the other showing mechanised scavenging. The post claims that the photo of the mechanised one is from China, portraying it as more advanced than India, while the manual scavenging image is from India, highlighting that such work is often carried out by Dalits. Let’s investigate the truth behind these photos.
Claim: The photos show that the mechanised scavenging is from China.
Fact: The mechanised scavenging photo is actually from India, not China. It depicts the Bandicoot robot, developed in Kerala, which is used for cleaning sewage systems and has been successfully deployed in cities like Thiruvananthapuram and Mysuru. The other photo shows a person who was cleaning a sewer line in July 2018 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Hence, the claim is MISLEADING.
To uncover the truth, we conducted a reverse image search and found the viral image in a video report published by Deutsche Welle (DW) on 08 April 2022. According to the report, the machine shown is cleaning a sewer pipe in Mysore, Karnataka and it is a prototype of India’s first sewer-cleaning robot, named ‘Bandicoot’ after the Indian rat species. The machine was developed by a tech company in Kerala to tackle the issue of manual scavenging, as highlighted in the report.
Further research led us to a Hindi video report by DW News, published on 19 April 2022, where the same image appeared at the 0:39-second mark. The report mentioned that the robotic machine shown in the image was cleaning a closed sewage pipe in Mysore, Karnataka.
Further research led us to several reports (here, here and here) about the Bandicoot machine. According to these reports, it is the world’s first sewer-cleaning robot, developed by a team of nine engineers from Kerala. Launched in February 2018 after a successful trial in Thiruvananthapuram, the robot successfully unclogged five manholes filled with plastic, filth, medical waste, and sediments. Since then, the Kerala Water Authority has been using the Bandicoot robot in Thiruvananthapuram. Additionally, a Deccan Herald report on 30 January 2021, stated that Mysuru became the first city in Karnataka to use the Bandicoot robot for cleaning underground drainage systems. Details about this robot can be seen on the official website of the company that developed this robot.
Reverse image search of the manual scavenging photo in the claim led to several sources (here, here and here) identifying the man in the photo as Joney, who was cleaning a sewer line in July 2018 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. The image is credited to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in India and is frequently used in reports highlighting the challenges and hardships faced by manual scavengers.
In India, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment issued a notification on enforcing the prohibition of manual scavenging under the Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013) effective from 6 December 2013. The act states that no person or agency can engage in or employ any individual for manual scavenging, with penalties including imprisonment for up to two years, and a fine of up to Rs. one Lakh, or both. However, despite this law, reports (here, here and here) indicate that manual scavenging still exists in India today, with many claiming that a significant portion of it is carried out by Dalits (here and here). However, the photo showing Mechanised scavenging is also from India deployed in a few places.
To sum up, this photo of Mechanised scavenging equipment is from India, not China.