New Delhi, Feb 14 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report on the death of three construction workers in a manhole at Kolkata Leather Complex earlier this month and sought a report from the West Bengal government, an official said on Friday.
The Commission has issued notices to the state’s Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Police, West Bengal, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the investigation.
The deaths occurred after the victims inhaled toxic gases during repairs in a 10-foot-deep manhole on February 2.
According to the media report, carried on February 3, the victims were deployed by a contractor to renovate a portion of a drainage network under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
The Commission has observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims, said a statement.
The statement said the Apex Court, in its judgment passed in Balram Singh vs Union of India dated October 20, 2023, has held that it is the duty of the local authorities and other agencies to use modern technology for cleaning sewers.
The Commission has also been consistently advocating a total ban on activities of hazardous cleaning without adequate and proper protective/safety gears or equipment and advocated suitable use of work-friendly and technology-based robotic machines.
It issued an advisory on September 24, 2021, for the Protection of Human Rights of the Persons Engaged in Hazardous Cleaning to the Union, State Governments and local authorities with an object to ensure complete eradication of such practice.
In a separate case, the NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a media report that about 38 students of a government-run school, fell ill after inhaling poisonous gas emitting from a nearby cement factory in Baloda Bazar district, Chhattisgarh on January 22, 2025.
According to the media report, the students complained of nausea, vomiting and uneasiness and they started fainting.
The NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.
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