Suo motu cognizance

The Commission took suo motu cognizance in 16 cases of alleged human rights violations reported by media during July, 2014 and issued notices to the concerned authorities for reports. Summaries of some of these cases are as follows:
Unsafe orphanage for girls
(Case No. 4978/30/1/2014)
The girls of an orphanage, 'Bachchiyon Ka Ghar' for Muslim girls at Matia Mahal in Old Delhi, have been facing problems due to shortage of space, filthy atmosphere and insecure surroundings. Built in 1891, the three-storyed orphanage is approached by the narrow and dingy by-lanes. It consists of one hall and six small rooms which are infested by rats. Reportedly, the hall serves the purpose of everything from drawing room, dining room, bedroom and reading room to entertainment room for more than 50 girl inmates, aged from seven to eighteen years and their caretakers. They cannot go out to play. The vagabonds chase and assault them hurling invectives on their way to school and back. Any resistance results in false complaints against them. As such, probability of untoward incidents is high. The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and Commissioner of Police, Delhi calling for reports.
Death of 5 persons in gas leakage at Alang Port
(Case No. 988/6/6/2014)
Five persons were killed and several others were injured in an incident of gas leakage on the 28th June, 2014 at Alang Ship Breaking Port in Gujarat. The Alang Port is one of the largest ship breaking port in the World and most of the ships brought to this port might carry large quantities of gas, arsenic and other hazardous materials that could cause severe damage to environment. The Commission has issued a notice to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Shipping and Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat calling for factual reports.
Explosion in gas pipeline
(Case No. 876/1/5/2014)
An explosion in a gas pipeline of Gas Authority of India (GAIL) killed 15 people and injured 12 near Nagaram village in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh on the 28th June, 2014. The people in the village had complained to the GAIL authorities about the gas leakage but no action was taken. The Commission has issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas Resources, CMD, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and District Magistrate, East Godavari District, calling for reports in the matter.
Mid-day meal poisoning
(Case No. 4557/30/2/2014)
22 students of 7 to 14 years age fell ill after consuming mid-day meal at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Patparganj area of East Delhi. The students had claimed to have found a dead rat in the food, which was supplied by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Dalit Utthan Evam Shiksha Samiti. Allegedly, the NGO was blacklisted earlier but got the contract again to supply food. Incidents of mid-day meal poisoning were reported earlier also in some schools of Delhi on the 26th July, 31st July and the 8th November, 2013. The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi calling for a detailed report. It has also asked the DCP (East), Delhi to submit an action taken report in the matter.
Deaths while cleaning septic tank
(Case No. 7752/7/18/2014)
Two inmates, Rajinder and Gobind of Dabwali Kushtha Ashram, in District Sirsa, Haryana died after inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning a septic tank of the leprosy centre on the 25th June, 2014. The leprosy centre, having no sewer connection, housed 60 members of 16 families and relied on a 10 feet deep tank to collect waste which was cleaned by inmates themselves on regular intervals. The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana calling for a report.
Building collapse in Chennai
(999/22/13/2014)
18 people died and 23 were rescued from the debris of a building which collapsed in Chennai on the 28th June, 2014. The Chief Minister of the State had said that the building collapsed due to constructional defects and the builder had violated various norms. The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a report.
Conning tribal youths to pose as Naxalites
(Case No. 1087/34/16/2014)
In Jharkhand, a surrender scam was allegedly perpetrated by a former Military Intelligence officer, well in the knowledge of CRPF officers, who lured in tribal youths to pose as Naxalites desiring to surrender to get a job either in Army, Para-Military or State Police through illegal means on monetary considerations. For this, some of them had to sell their personal belongings like motorcycle, land etc. But not everyone, allegedly conned, was rewarded. At least 18 youths were reported to had become victims of this scam. The Commission has directed its Director General (Investigation) to depute a team to conduct a thorough enquiry in the matter and submit a report.
Death due to police torture
(Case No. 1756/13/30/2014)
The police received a tip-off that a man named Babu had stolen two kilogram of gold. But instead of going after the known criminal Babu, who lived in the same neighbourhood, they went after his namesake, a teenager, Babu Thakre. He was tortured during interrogation in police custody. Perturbed by the repeated questioning, he even made a failed attempt to suicide by hanging himself on 21st June and later died at a hospital. The Commission has issued a notice to the Principal Secretary (Home), Government of Maharashtra calling upon him to submit a detailed report.
Pollution emitting Refinery
(Case No. 8051/7/18/2014)
Guru Gobind Singh Refinery, Bhatinda, Punjab is allegedly emitting heavy smoke causing asthma, cough, eye infection to the residents of 12 villages in Dabwali Assembly segment of Sirsa in Haryana. Reportedly, neither the Government of Haryana nor the Government of Punjab took any action to address the problems. The Refinery is
a joint venture of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Mittal Energy Investment Private Limited, Singapore. The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Governments of Punjab and Haryana and CMD, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited calling for reports.
Sexual assault in a school
(Case No. 649/10/1/2014)
A six year old girl was sexually assaulted, allegedly, by two male staff in a private school at Bengaluru, Karnataka on the 2nd July, 2014. The Commission has observed that the act of the male staff attracted penal provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. It has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Government of Karnataka and District Collector, Bengaluru calling for reports.
Corporal punishment to visually impaired students
(Case No. 999/1/5/2014)
Three visually impaired children, below 10 years age, were mercilessly caned by the Coordinator and Principal of a residential school for blinds in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh and District Magistrate, Kakinada calling for reports in the matter.

Autopsies in open
(Case No. 2007/12/37/2014)
The Residents of Bhagat Singh Ward in Garhakota Town of District Sagar in Madhya Pradesh have been leading a 'hellish life' due to autopsies being performed in an open room of a collapsed building of the Government Hospital in the middle of the residential colony. The repeated complaints to the hospital authorities allegedly have failed to evoke any response. The Commission has issued a notice to the Principal Secretary (Health), Government of Madhya Pradesh calling upon him to submit a detailed report.
Non-availability of anti-snake venom
(Case No. 22733/24/10/2014)
Azad, aged 30 years died after snake bite as he could not be administered anti-snake venom injection due to its non-availability at District Hospital, Balia, Uttar Pradesh on the 1st July, 2014. He was a resident of Village Manikpur under the Fepana Police Station. Allegedly, many people had died in the District due to non-availability of anti-snake venom injection. The Commission has issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh and District Magistrate, Balia calling for reports.
Non-functional Super Speciality Government Hospitals
(Case No. 5211/30/5/2014)
Sixteen years after the construction, at a cost of Rs. 150 crore, two Super Speciality Government Hospitals namely, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in East Delhi (600 bedded) and Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital (300 bedded) in West Delhi, were still not ready to take in patients. Both had the unique distinction of claiming success in augmenting specialized healthcare services in budget estimates of the Government but not a single patient was admitted in the hospitals till date.
A notice has been issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi calling for a report in the matter which, the Commission felt, involved a serious issue of violation of human rights and also wastage of public money due to indecisiveness of public servants.