Rights panel seeks report on manual cleaning of sewerage

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, May 20

The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has requisitioned a report from Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, after an executive member of ‘Green Earth’ (NGO) from Kurukshetra raised the issue of untoward incidents and deaths of labourers that take place while cleaning of sewerage and safety tanks manually in Haryana.

Many untoward incidents

The complainant has alleged that cleanliness of sewerage and safety tanks in Haryana state is essential but it is being done manually. It results in many untoward incidents, and deaths of labourers take place. HHRC order

Executive member of Green Earth Naresh Bhardwaj had approached the HHRC earlier this month.

The commission’s order read, “The complainant has alleged that cleanliness of sewerage and safety tanks in Haryana state is essential but it is being done manually. It results in many untoward incidents, and deaths of labourers take place. He has given instances of deaths and injuries of labourers due to fall in sewerage in different parts of the state.”

Naresh Bhardwaj has requested that the cleanliness work of sewerage and safety tanks may be conducted by applying machines through skilled labourers. Provisions of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act may be complied with strictly. The responsibility of some officers in order to avert accidents may be fixed. The labourers may be trained at the block and district level. Legal action may be taken against the officers for negligence.

In his order, Haryana Human Rights Commission member Justice KC Puri has requisitioned a report of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Works Department within a period of six weeks. The next date of hearing is August 4.

Naresh Bhardwaj said, “Labourers are losing their lives. There have been incidents in Bhiwani, Hisar, Panipat and Nuh recently. The responsibility of officials must be fixed.”

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