NHRC seeks report on Angul septic tank deaths

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Friday directed the Labour and ESI department principal secretary, and the District Magistrate (DM) of Angul to submit a report regarding the death of two workers while ‘cleaning’ a septic tank in the district last year.

The NHRC move came while hearing a plea filed by rights activist Akhand. The petitioner had informed the apex rights body that Raghu Hansdah, 28, and Medha Nag, 31, both residents of Redham village in Mayurbhanj district, died while cleaning a septic tank in Nuahata village under Banarpal police limits in Angul district September 13, 2024. The petitioner had cited the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement in Safai Karamchari Andolan vs Union of India (2014) that outlawed manual scavenging and mandated compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each death occurring during such hazardous work.

However, the Angul DM, in his December 3, 2024 report, informed that the deceased were not manual scavengers. “They were engaged as masons for private house construction. Each of the families was given Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross and Rs 3,000 under the Harishchandra Sahayata Yojana as immediate assistance,” the DM’s report said.

Later, the NHRC observed that the DM’s report is incomplete as it has nothing on action taken under the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board’s accidental death benefit scheme. The commission reminded the authorities that the scheme provides financial assistance to registered construction workers in the event of both natural and accidental deaths. The NHRC asked the principal secretary of Labour and ESI department and Angul DM to submit a comprehensive report by September 1 this year addressing key issues, including whether the deceased workers were registered with the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board and whether their families have been provided or considered for any such benefits.

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