NHRC, India takes suo motu cognisance of the reported death of two workers due to asphyxiation while cleaning a sewage pumping station in Surendranagar district, Gujarat

Press release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi: 24th January, 2025

NHRC, India takes suo motu cognisance of the reported death of two workers due to asphyxiation while cleaning a sewage pumping station in Surendranagar district, Gujarat

Issues notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Gujarat calling for a detailed report within two weeks

The report is expected to include the status of the investigation of the cases as well as compensation paid, if any to the aggrieved families

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that two workers died due to asphyxiation after they were trapped in an underground sewage pumping station, in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, on 21st January, 2025. Reportedly, the incident occurred when the workers entered the sewage pumping station to clean it without any safety gear. The victims were contractual workers with the Patdi Municipal Corporation.

The Commission has observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights. The Apex Court, in its judgement passed in the case, Dr. Balram Singh vs Union of India (WP(C) No. 324 of 2020) dated 20.10.2023, has held that it is the duty of the local authorities and other agencies to use modern technology for cleaning of sewers etc.

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 also has advocated suitable use of work-friendly and technology-based robotic machines. It issued an Advisory on 24th September, 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.

Therefore, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Gujarat calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the investigation of the cases as well as compensation paid, if any to the aggrieved families.

According to the media report, carried on 21st January, 2025, apart from this, many other incidents occurred in the recent past where workers reportedly asphyxiated to death due to lack of safety gear in the State. These include the deaths of four migrant workers in Bharuch district in December, 2024 who lost life due to toxic gas leakage from the distillation unit, where they were employed.

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