The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) on Friday directed principal secretary of local government to take departmental action against officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and asked senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sangrur to initiate legal action against authorities of two private firms, including a telecom company after their negligence led to the death of an 8-year-old girl.
The commission also ordered compensation of ₹3 lakh to next of the deceased’s kin and directed the deputy commissioner to submit updated information along with proof within six weeks.
The girl had died in August last year after drinking contaminated water supplied through the pipelines by the Punjab Water Supply department. The sewerage was damaged and overflowed. Therefore, sewage had got mixed with drinking water and the deceased girl along with other residents of the Sundar Basti had consumed the contaminated water. The drinking water had presence of fatale-coli bacteria beyond the permissible limits, according to the inquiry report submitted by Sangrur administration.
The private firms against whom the legal action ordered are Vodafone Pvt Ltd and Shapoorji Pallonji Company.
The order, issued by deputy registrar (law), reads, “It was also found that the sewerage line in the area of the deceased was damaged due to work done by Vodafone Pvt Ltd. Also, maintenance agency Shapoorji Pallonji and the government supervisory department i.e Sewerage Board, failed to act promptly. Thus, the report concluded initiating of departmental action delinquent officials of the Sewerage Board who failed to supervise the maintenance of the damaged line, and lawful action against Vodafone Pvt Ltd.”
{{/usCountry}}The order, issued by deputy registrar (law), reads, “It was also found that the sewerage line in the area of the deceased was damaged due to work done by Vodafone Pvt Ltd. Also, maintenance agency Shapoorji Pallonji and the government supervisory department i.e Sewerage Board, failed to act promptly. Thus, the report concluded initiating of departmental action delinquent officials of the Sewerage Board who failed to supervise the maintenance of the damaged line, and lawful action against Vodafone Pvt Ltd.”
{{/usCountry}}The commission observed that human and fundamental right to life of the minor victim is violated due to negligent conduct of the public officials.
According to the order, two samples collected by civil surgeon, Sangrur on August 18 and tested at Regional Water Testing Lab, Sangrur found heavy presence of E-Coli bacteria while even the presence of the bacteria should not be there in the drinking water.
The commission stated in order that the detailed enquiry and the annexed lab test report of the area has twice confirmed the presence of fatal e-coli bacteria beyond the permissible limits. Thereby the alleged fact that the victim child died due to consumption of contaminated and unsafe water supplied by the department is corroborated and confirmed. This fact is even more strengthened by finding that the sewer line in the area was found to be damaged thus providing a logical base for the deduction made.
Confirming the development Sangrur deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, said, “The commission’s directions are based on our report. The commission had sought an action taken report from us and we had submitted it with these findings.”
Sukhjinder Singh, who looks after the operation and maintenance work of the company in Sangrur, said, “There is no fault of us in the death of the girl. Our work is maintenance of sewerage and we are doing it properly.”