Four men die of toxic fumes trying to retrieve gold, silver particles from septic tank
The workers, who were promised extra money because of their initial reluctance to enter the tank, were not provided with any safety equipment, said the police
Four men who entered a septic tank in Sitapura Industrial Area in Jaipur to retrieve gold and silver particles died of toxic fumes, police said on Tuesday (May 27).
The incident occurred late Monday night (May 26) in a jewel factory in G-Block of the Jewellery Zone.
The deceased were identified as Sanjeev Pal, Himanshu Singh, Rohit Pal, and Arpit Yadav, police said.
Two more workers, Ajay Chauhan and Rajpal, were rushed in critical condition to the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, while two others, Amit Pal and Suraj Pal, were discharged after primary medical care.
The workers had gone down a 10-foot-deep tank after which they allegedly lost consciousness.
Promise of extra money
Initially, the workers refused to enter the tank due to the intense heat and presence of toxic gases. However, the company management persuaded them with the promise of extra money, initial reports state.
Amit and Rohit, who were the first to descend into the tank, began gasping and calling for help immediately. The remaining six went down the tank quickly to help the first two out but also fell unconscious.
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The septic tank allegedly contained a chemical sludge, believed to be carrying particles of gold and silver, residue from the jewellery manufacturing and cleaning processes, a police source stated.
The sludge is periodically cleaned to extract valuable metals, a practice not uncommon in jewellery units.
No safety equipment
A local police officer said the workers were not provided with any safety equipment.
He said forensic experts who examined the spot are probing why the workers were persuaded to clean an underground septic tank without any safety measures during a heatwave.
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He said the authorities were also investigating the legality of the storage of gold particles in the tank. He said action would be taken against the jewellery factory owners and contractors.
Rajasthan SHRC issues notices
The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Jaipur Collector and Police Commissioner.
The Commission Chairperson Justice GR Moolchandani took suo moto cognisance and issued the notices.
"Notices have been issued to the District Collector and Jaipur Police Commissioner, expecting them to conduct an effective investigation in the matter, take immediate action against the culprits, submit its report to the Commission and ensure providing the required compensation amount to the dependents/family members of the deceased," the chairperson said in the order.
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"Also, by issuing notice to Achal Jewelers Private Limited's owner Arun Kumar Kothari and CEO Vikas Mehta, the Commission expects them to provide compensation amount to the dependents/family members of the workers at their own level and send its compliance report and its reply to the Commission without delay," the order said.
Congress targets state govt
Meanwhile, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot targetted the state government over such incidents in the state.
He claimed that in the last 10 days, 11 people have died while cleaning septic tanks and gutters in Deeg, Bikaner, and Jaipur.
Also Read: Maha: Five workers die while cleaning septic tank in Parbhani district
"It seems that the state government is not paying attention to the sanitation workers. The state government announced in the budget to buy machines but that announcement is still on paper. When will the government wake up?" he said in a post on X.
(With inputs from agencies)