Types and Nature of Dalit Exclusion in Sindh

Practices of cleaning human excreta, scavenging or cleaning manholes, and removing carcasses is not found in Kolhi community. However there are certain sub-castes within Bhil (shirkari bhil) that do scavenging. Meghwar community seems to have greatly abandoned the occupation of skinning animals, however certain sub castes and invidual families continue to indulge in occupations such as shoe-making and lather work. Amongst the tribal-adivasi nomadic tribes, scavenging very common. Whereas the majority of Dalit Christians that used to belong to Chuhra community of Dalits, still continue to be employed as sanitation workers, the occupation which is no less stigmatized as the occupation of Bhangi caste. As the open pit latrines have vanished, so has vanished the occupation of Bhangi in rural Sindh, while the Bhangi (now called as Valmikis in Punjab) are still recognized by their traditional stigmatized occupation.