NHRC issues notice to Haryana Govt. about two deaths while cleaning septic tank

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Government of Haryana today, citing two deaths of persons named Rajinder and Gobind while cleaning a septic tank in a Leprosy centre in its Dabwali town.

The NHRC is taking suo motu cognizance of a media report which says that two inmates of Dabwali Kushth Ashram in District Sirsa, Haryana died after inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning a septic tank in the premises on the June 25, 2014.

It has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana, calling for a report within four weeks.

According to the media report, the leprosy centre, has no sewer connection, houses 60 members of 16 families and relies on a 10 feet deep tank to collect waste which is cleaned by inmates on regular intervals.

When Rajinder opened the cover of the tank to clean it, a gush of poisonous gas knocked him unconscious and he fell into it.

Gobind rushed to rescue him but he also met the same fate. Ashram inmates rushed them to the General Hospital in Dabwali where doctors declared them brought dead.

The Commission has observed that contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of victims.