NHRC takes suo motu notice of chemical burn injuries to unprotected workers at Panipat bleaching units

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that bleaching units operating in Panipat district, Haryana, several without a valid No Objection Certificate from the Pollution Control Board, are exposing workers to hydrochloric acid and sodium hypochlorite without protective gear, resulting in severe chemical burn injuries. The Commission noted that several affected workers have been seeking hospital treatment, and held that the reported facts, if true, raise serious issues of violation of the human rights of the workers concerned, including their right to safe conditions of work and to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

It has issued a notice to the District Magistrate, Panipat, calling for a detailed report within two weeks, covering the operational status of these units, the safety measures (or their absence) provided to workers, and the handling and disposal of hazardous chemical waste. The Commission's action is part of its continuing exercise of its statutory mandate under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to inquire into violations of human rights by public authorities, including a failure to enforce existing safety and environmental regulations at the workplace.