NHRC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Deaths of Four Workers in Septic Tank in Surat, Calls for Detailed Report

New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the reported death of four workers while cleaning a septic tank at a jewellery manufacturing unit in the Surat district, Gujarat.

Noting the breach of safety protocols, NHRC issued a notice to the Gujarat Chief Secretary and Surat Police Commissioner, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

"The report is expected to include the status of the investigation and compensation, if any, paid to the next of kin of the deceased workers," NHRC stated in a release.

Four people died in Surat on June 7 after being exposed to toxic gas while cleaning an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) tank at a jewellery manufacturing unit in the Ashwini Kumar area, police said.

DCP Zone-1 Surat, Alok Kumar, said that the incident took place during the routine cleaning of a tank that collects waste from jewellery cleaning operations. He added that four workers went for the cleaning; one fell in, and the others who attempted to rescue him also fell, leading to four fatalities.

"The waste product of the jewellery cleaning flows into a septic tank, which undergoes regular cleaning to remove the accumulated sludge. This cleaning operation is carried out every two months. This morning, a team of four people went there to perform the cleaning. During the process, one man fell into the tank, and the other labourers who went to rescue him also fell in. A total of four deaths have been reported. We are currently registering a case of accidental death," the police official had told ANI.

The officer added that the victims were not equipped with proper safety gear, which likely contributed to the incident. He further stated that, prima facie, chemical poisoning appears to be the cause of death, though the final determination will depend on the post-mortem reports.

"Preliminary examination of CCTV footage does not reveal the presence of any required safety equipment. Prima facie, chemical poisoning seems to be the cause, as sudden deaths resulting from asphyxiation in such contexts often involve chemical poisoning. However, we cannot state this definitively until the doctor's post-mortem report confirms the cause of death," Kumar said.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and a case has been filed in connection with the deaths.