NHRC notice to Chief Secy over STP deaths

Advertisement

Hisar, April 23

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Haryana Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report within six weeks into the death of four sanitation workers after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewage tank in Budhakhera village of Hisar district on April 19.

The commission has observed that the incident indicates that despite the avoidable and unwarranted deaths in sewers; and sheer indignity of the work, hazardous cleaning of septic tanks without safety equipment continues.

It directed the Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report on the matter within six weeks.

The commission has also sought a report about action taken against the officers responsible and relief granted to the families of the victims.

The Haryana Government has suspended two officials — an SDO and a Junior Engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department — and announced financial assistance of Rs 17 lakh to the families of each of the four deceased.

A press statement from the NHRC stated that it has been emphasising upon the use of machines for cleaning of septic tanks, sewage plants etc. and to ensure proper safety equipment for the workers but such painful incidents are taking place frequently.

“Due to negligence and apathy of the authorities concerned, precious human lives have again been lost. Their human rights have been grossly violated. The commission has noticed that in this case, the victims are in the age group of 25 to 28. Deaths of such young men in these kinds of tragic incidents could be averted had proper precaution been taken by the authorities responsible. Such incidents are indeed indicative of the reckless attitude of the civic authorities, violating human rights of poor and innocent workers,” it stated.

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