New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS): The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of a report that four persons died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning the sewer tank in a private hospital in Haryana's Faridabad district.

Notice was issue to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, seeking, within four weeks, a detailed report, which is expected to include the measures that the state government has already taken or is likely to be take to prevent such gross violation of the human rights of poor and underprivileged people, who are susceptible to be employed for this type of manual scavenging or sewage cleaning without any mechanical device by the public/private organizations, the Commission said in a statement.

The authorities have also been directed to inform about the status of the FIR registered in the matter and compensation, if any, given to the next of kin of the deceased persons.

Issuing the notice, the Commission has observed that in spite of specific judgments given by the apex Court and guidelines issued from time to time by different government agencies, sewage cleaning workers are still being exposed to extreme danger and subjected to indignity.

It also issued an advisory on the Protection of Human Rights of the person engaged in the Hazardous Cleaning of the septic tank on September 24, 2021, which was circulated to Chief Secretaries/Administrators of all states and UTs and the Union Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, Housing and Urban Affairs and to the Secretary, National Commission for Safai Karmacharis for taking remedial actions.