The NHRC on Friday said it has issued a notice to the West Bengal government over reports that three construction workers drowned reportedly after inhaling toxic gases while entering a manhole at a Kolkata leather complex recently.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in a statement, observed that the content of the report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that three construction workers drowned "reportedly after inhaling toxic gases while entering a 10-foot deep manhole to repair a sewer joint at Kolkata Leather Complex" on February 2.

According to the media report, carried out on February 3, they were deployed by a contractor to renovate a portion of a drainage network under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the statement said.

The Supreme Court, "in its judgement passed in the case, Dr Balram Singh vs Union of India (WP(C) No. 324 of 2020) dated 20.10.2023, has held that it is the duty of the local authorities and other agencies to use modern technology for cleaning of sewer, etc." it said.

The commission said it has also been consistently advocating a total ban on activities of hazardous cleaning without adequate and proper protective or safety gear or equipment, and also advocated suitable use of work-friendly and technology-based robotic machines.

It issued an advisory on September 24, 2021, for the Protection of Human Rights of the Persons Engaged in Hazardous Cleaning to the Union, state governments and local authorities with an object to ensure complete eradication of such practice.

Therefore, the commission has issued notices to the state's chief secretary and city police commissioner, seeking a detailed report within two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the investigation, it said.

In another statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that about 38 students of a government-run school fell ill after inhaling a poisonous odour emitted from a nearby cement factory in Baloda Bazar district in Chhattisgarh on January 22.

According to the media report, the students complained of nausea, vomiting and uneasiness and they started fainting.

The commission observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the affected students.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the state's chief secretary, seeking a detailed report within four weeks.

It is expected to include the health status of the children and steps taken to deal with the reported health hazard adversely affecting the health of the people, it said.

According to the report, carried out on January 23, the cement plant uses the "phosphorus pentasulfide" chemical to decompose waste and prepare alternate fuel.

Reportedly, to speed up the process, the plant would sometimes use a higher quantity of chemicals, it added.

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