NHRC Takes Action: Human Rights Violations Spark Concern in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh

The NHRC has issued notices to the West Bengal government over reports of construction workers drowning due to toxic gas exposure and in Chhattisgarh, students falling ill due to emissions from a cement factory. The commission has raised concerns over human rights violations in both cases and demanded detailed reports.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stepped up as it issued a notice to the West Bengal government following alarming reports of human rights violations surrounding the recent deaths of three construction workers. These workers reportedly succumbed after inhaling toxic gases while entering a manhole at the Kolkata Leather Complex.

The NHRC's reaction comes amid revelations described in a February 3 media report that detailed the workers' deadly exposure as they were repairing a sewer joint under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority's supervision. Advocating for a total ban on hazardous cleaning without proper safety gear, the commission emphasized the adoption of robotic technology for safer sewer management.

In a separate incident that caught NHRC's attention, about 38 students at a government school in Chhattisgarh faced poisoning symptoms by inhaling toxic odours from a nearby cement factory. The commission is seeking thorough investigation reports on both cases, ensuring human rights are upheld.