What happened
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India took suo motu cognizance of a reported death and injuries during cleaning work at a sewage treatment plant tank in Gangwa village in Hisar district, Haryana.
According to the media report cited by the NHRC, on 15 July 2026, one worker died and another worker was seriously injured after inhaling toxic gases inside the tank. The injured worker is under treatment in a hospital.
Background and earlier position
The NHRC said the deceased worker's family alleged negligence by the contractor and the sewage treatment plant management. The reported work involved clearing a blocked pipeline and entering the tank without safety gear.
Hazardous cleaning of sewers, septic tanks, and similar confined spaces has long been a governance and human rights concern in India because such work can lead to toxic gas exposure, asphyxiation, and avoidable deaths.
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