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NCSK, NCSC seek reports on Moshi garbage tragedy, order inquiries
The Commission has flagged possible violations of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, stating that the law mandates dignity, safety and protection from occupational risks for sanitation workers
The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) has taken suo motu cognisance of the Moshi garbage depot tragedy that claimed nine lives and directed Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi to conduct an inquiry and submit an action taken report within 15 days.
The Commission has flagged possible violations of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, stating that the law mandates dignity, safety and protection from occupational risks for sanitation workers.
In a letter issued to the district collector on Monday, NCSK secretary Rahul Kashyap sought his “personal, urgent attention” to the July 8 incident at the Moshi waste-to-energy Project under the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). The Commission took cognisance of the tragedy following a representation by advocate Sagar Charan, national legal advisor of the Akhil Bharatiya Safai Mazdoor Sangh, and Hindustan Times reports.
“The tragic incident points to serious violations of the Act,” Kashyap said in the letter.
The Commission has directed the district collector to investigate the incident and furnish details, including the police station concerned, nature of the offence, names and addresses of the victims, names of the accused, details of the FIR, sections invoked, arrests made, filing of the chargesheet or final report, and compensation paid to the victims’ families.
“I will submit the details sought by the Commission within the stipulated period,” Dudi said.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has also taken cognisance of the tragedy and sought a detailed report from the PCMC and the Maharashtra Commissionerate of Social Welfare within 15 days.
The NCSC issued notices to the PCMC commissioner and the Commissionerate of Social Welfare on Monday after receiving a complaint from Charan. It said it had decided to investigate the matter by exercising its powers under Article 338 of the Constitution.
“You are hereby requested to submit the facts and information on the action taken on the allegations and matters to the undersigned within 15 days of receipt of this notice,” the Commission said.
Issued by NCSC director G Sunil Kumar Babu, the notice warns that if the authorities fail to respond within the stipulated period, the Commission may invoke its powers as a civil court under Article 338 and summon the officials concerned or their representatives to appear before it.
The notices add to the growing scrutiny of the civic administration following the tragedy, where a massive garbage mound collapsed on an administrative building.
Charan said, “The tragedy raises serious questions about accountability and workers’ safety. Those responsible for the lapses must be identified and action taken in accordance with the law.”
