NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of Ujjain sewer chamber worker’s death

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding the death of a worker and injuries to two others after they allegedly inhaled toxic gases while cleaning a sewer chamber in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district.

Observing that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of human rights violations, the apex human rights body has issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and the Ujjain Superintendent of Police, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The NHRC said the report is expected to include the status of the investigation, as well as details of any compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased worker and the injured.

According to the media report, one of the workers succumbed to his injuries during treatment, while the other two are undergoing medical treatment.

The incident occurred on July 7 during a sewerage project near Pipli Naka on the Bhairavgarh road in Ujjain, where two workers who had entered a sewer chamber reportedly felt suffocated.

A third worker entered the chamber to rescue them but also fell unconscious. Residents alerted the authorities after noticing the workers trapped inside the chamber, following which police personnel and residents carried out a rescue operation and shifted all three labourers to a hospital.

Police suspect the workers inhaled toxic gases that had accumulated inside the confined sewer chamber, though the exact cause of death is being ascertained through investigation.

Meanwhile, authorities have initiated an inquiry into the incident and are examining whether the labourers were provided with mandatory safety gear and whether standard operating procedures were followed during the sewerage work.

Statements from the contractor, site supervisors, and other workers present on site are also expected to be recorded as part of the investigation.

–IANS

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