NHRC holds DDA responsible for man's death

Deceased was sent to clean manhole sans protective gear; commission moots Rs 3 lakh as relief

The National Human Rights Commission today held the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) responsible for the death of man in sewer, who was sent to clean a manhole without protective gear and recommended monetary relief of Rs 3 lakh to be paid to next of his kin.

The commission also recommended that Rs 25,000 should be paid to another injured man and asked the chief secretary of the government of NCT, Delhi to submit a proof of payment within six weeks.

The Commission took suo motu cognizance of the media reports that Rampal (45) and his colleague, Dharamvir (40), both safai karmacharis with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were sent to clear a sewer in Sector-18 in Rohini on August 8, 2011, without safety equipment.

They had to be dragged out with the help of a rope and were taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared Rampal as brought dead and the condition of Dharamvir was found to be stable.

"During the course of enquiry, it was found that a junior engineer of DDA has been arrested and charge sheeted in the matter under whose supervision the cleaning of the sewer was done. The victim were on the pay roll of the DDA.

"Therefore, the Commission did not find the plea of the DDA that the manhole in question was under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Jal Board and hence it was not responsible for the incident as acceptable," the Commission said.