Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served notices to the Chief Secretary and Police DG of Odisha in connection with the death of two workers in a sewage tank in Bhubaneswar.
The NHRC has served notices on the basis of a petition by rights activist Akhand. The Commission has also sought action taken report (ATR) from the Odisha government in this regard.
The two workers, engaged by a contractual firm, had died in a sewage tank at Brahmeswar Bag on March 19, 2021, following asphyxiation. The deceased were Sunaram Sadar and Silup Birua.
The commission has directed the State Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to submit the ATR within six weeks.
Akhand in his petition alleged that the company engaged in providing service of maintenance work of sewage did not provide oxygen masks.
The Chief Secretary has been asked to furnish the proof of payment of Rs 10 lakh each paid to the family of deceased persons.
The DGP has been directed to let the commission know if an FIR was filed in this connection or not under Section 7/ 9/ R/w 22 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
