New Delhi: The National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to Municipal
Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) seeking
explanation on non-compliance of its guidelines on safety of
workers.
The action came after the Commission took suo motu
cognizance of media reports about the death of an MCD
sanitation worker Rampal (45) on August 8 in Rohini, while he
was cleaning a sewer.
An NHRC spokesperson said the media reports suggested
that Rampal and another worker Dharamvir entered a sewer to
clean it, without any safety equipment.
"If true, the incident raises a serious issue of
violation of human rights of the deceased because of
non-observance of the safety guidelines framed by the
Commission and circulated to the MCD long back," the
Commission observed.
Issuing notices to the MCD Commissioner and DJB Chairman
seeking reports within four weeks, the Commission asked them
to inform it whether they had taken any action against the
officials responsible for non-compliance with the safety
guidelines.
It also asked the two bodies to inform the Commission
whether any compensation, in addition to the benefits
admissible under the service rules, is proposed to be given to
the next of kin of the deceased.
PTI
