Sewer deaths: NHRC notice to Delhi Chief Secy, Police commissioner
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo moto cognizance of media reports that two labourers died while three others are battling for life after they entered an unauthorised ten feet deep septic tank at an under-construction house in Prem Nagar in Rohini on the May 7.
According to NHRC, the commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and the Commissioner of Police (Delhi) calling for a detailed report in the matter within six weeks.
The Commission has also asked the Delhi Government to inform whether it had issued any guidelines prohibiting unauthorised construction and cleaning of septic tanks and, if so, why its strict compliance was not being ensured.
It has directed the Delhi Government to chalk out appropriate instructions to deal with the issue and inform.
The Commission has observed that apparently there were multiple reasons which might have caused the death of two persons in the incident.
Had the septic tank not been constructed in an unauthorized manner and had the labourers been not forced to go inside the septic tank without any safety gear/ training, two precious lives could have been saved.
"A large number of people are dying every year in such painful incidents, due to negligence by the authorities. In spite of specific law and guidelines on the subject, such incidents are happening," said NHRC.
The Commission has also condemned as uncivilized the attitude of some people gathered at the place of the incident for not coming to the help of the victims terming them as untouchables.
Main accused arrested
Delhi Police on Wednesday said that they have arrested the house owner Mustafa who with his mason (Rambir) had forced the labourers to go inside the sewage tank. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) SD Mishra stated that no other casualty was reported in the incident. Police identified the deceased as Ganesh Shah (35) and Deepak (20). The victim has been identified as Bablu (40), Sher Singh (40) and Ranbir Singh (33).
DCP said Mustafa and Rambir (Mason) forced them to go inside the tank after threatening them for not paying their three days wages.
"The compelled labourers went inside the tank and fell unconscious. Rambir also went in the tank when he didn't get any response and fell unconscious too due to poisonous gases," said DCP.
