Faridabad sewer deaths: NHRC seeks details from state govt; issues notice to DGP, Chief Secretary

Ravi S Singh

New Delhi, October 6

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday sought details from the Haryana government in regard to death of four persons after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a sewer at a private hospital in Faridabad on October 5.

The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Haryana, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.

Issuing the notices, it directed that the report is expected to include the measures the state governmenthas already taken or is likely to take to prevent such “gross violation of the human rights” of poor and underprivileged people.

The authorities have been also directed to inform about the status of the FIR registered in the matter and compensation, if any, given to the next of kin of the deceased.

The Commission noted that in spite of specific judgments given by the apex court and guidelines issued from time to time by different government agencies, the sewage cleaning workers are still being exposed to extreme danger and subjected to indignity.

It has also issued an Advisory on the Protection of Human Rights of the person engaged in the Hazardous Cleaning of the septic tank on September 34, 2021, which was circulated to Chief Secretaries/ Administrators of all States and UTs and the Union Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and to the Secretary, National Commission for Safai Karmacharis for taking remedial actions.