NHRC notices to the Chief Secretary, Govt of Maharashtra and Pune Police Commissioner on the reports of four deaths while cleaning septic tank

New Delhi, Dated 03rd March, 2022

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that four persons died due to suffocation while cleaning a septic tank at a residential building in LoniKalbhor area on the out scouts of Pune city on 2nd March, 2022.

It has issued notices, returnable within four weeks, to the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and Police Commissioner, Puneto submit reports on the status of the case. The report should include the details of compensation paid or if not, show cause why it should not be recommended to be paid to the NoK of the four victims. The Commission has also asked the details of the case registered, if any, against those who engaged them for sewage cleaning without providing adequate safety equipment.

The Commission has observed that despite laws and Supreme Court judgment, every other day, deaths in sewage cleaning are being reported from various parts of the country due to the lack of safety equipment, which tantamount to violation of human rights. It is completely unwarranted that the poor people die for their livelihood due to lackadaisical attitude on the part of the authorities. There is a need for strong commitment on part of the state authorities, which is lacking, to save these lives.

According to the media reports, carried today on 03rd March, 2022, the two workers initially went inside the septic tank of the building for cleaning but when they started crying for help,the two others also went in. However, they were all asphyxiated.

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