The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday took note of a media report that three construction workers died due to drowning, reportedly after inhaling toxic gases while entering a manhole in Kolkata. The commission said that if the report is accurate, it constitutes a serious violation of human rights.
The statutory body has subsequently issued notices to the top administrative and police officials of West Bengal, calling for a detailed report, including the status of the investigation, on the matter within two weeks.
Citing a previous Supreme Court judgement, the human rights body drew the attention of the civic authorities, saying that it is their duty to ensure the use of modern technology for cleaning sewers and other hazardous cleaning activities.
ABOUT THE INCIDENT
Three workers were declared dead after they entered into a 10-foot deep manhole to repair a sewer joint at Kolkata Leather Complex on February 2. According to the report, published on February 3, they were deployed by a contractor to renovate a portion of a drainage network under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Taking suo-motu cognisance of the matter, the human rights body said, “The Commission has observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims. The Apex Court, in its judgement passed in the case, Dr Balram Singh vs Union of India, has held that it is the duty of the local authorities and other agencies to use modern technology for cleaning of sewers etc.”
The human rights body has also been consistently advocating a total ban on activities of hazardous cleaning without adequate and proper protective/ safety gear or equipment. It has further advocated suitable use of work-friendly and technology-based robotic machines.
On September 24, 2021, it issued an advisory for the ‘Protection of Human Rights of the Persons Engaged in Hazardous Cleaning to the Union, State Governments, and local authorities’ with the objective of ensuring complete eradication of such practices.