India, Jan. 30 -- Manual scavenging in major metropolitan cities must immediately stop, the Supreme Court directed on Wednesday, drawing the line for municipal commissioners and chief executive officers of six major cosmopolitan cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, to comply with this order upfront and report compliance in two weeks.

The top court passed the order while monitoring its October 2023 judgment directing all states and Union Territories to take all steps possible to end the inhuman practice. The court was pained to note that despite its directions, the practice still prevailed as it cited an instance that took place a few days ago in Delhi, in which two people, who were in their late 20s, died while cleaning the sewer.

"A wel...