NHRC notice to Chhattisgarh govt over death of 3 workers in factory explosion

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The NHRC on Monday said it has issued notices to the Chhattisgarh government and the state's police chief over reports that at least three workers died and several others got injured in an explosion at a factory in Urla industrial area of Raipur. The National Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report from the authorities in two weeks. The rights panel said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that at least three workers died and several others were injured in an explosion at a factory situated in the Urla industrial area of Raipur on July 7. The explosion allegedly took place after an oxygen cylinder burst in the factory, it said in a statement. The Commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chhattisgarh chief secretary and the director general of police of the state, seeking a detailed report on it in two weeks, the statement said. The report is expected to include the status of health of the injured as well as compensation, if any, paid to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured. According to media reports carried on July 8, the injured workers were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment and the factory was closed, it said. In a separate statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that on July 7, "a worker died and two others were injured after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewer chamber in Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh". Reportedly, the incident occurred near Pipli Naka on Bhairavgarh Road in Ujjain when the workers had entered the sewer chamber and fell unconscious. The Commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary and Ujjain's superintendent of police seeking a detailed report on it within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the investigation as well as compensation, if any, paid to the next of kin of the deceased worker, and the injured ones. According to the media report, carried on July 8, one of the workers succumbed to his injuries during the course of treatment, while the other two are undergoing treatment. In a separate statement, the rights panel said it has also taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that "four girl students were bitten by a snake in a hostel of a higher secondary residential school in the Lohardaga district, Jharkhand on July 7". One of them died, while the other three are undergoing medical treatment. Reportedly, the snake bit the students while they were sleeping on the ground floor room of the hostel after having dinner, it said. The Commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of the human rights of the students. Therefore, it has issued notices to the state's chief secretary, seeking a detailed report on it in two weeks. The report is expected to include the health status of the injured students, the rights panel said. According to the media report, carried on July 10, the condition of one of the injured students is "critical" and she was referred to RIMS, Ranchi for specialised treatment, it said. PTI KND KSS KSS