In a tragic incident last week, a father and his two sons lost their lives due to toxic vapours from an underground tank in a public lavatory in Ambujwadi, Malad. Now, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has initiated an investigation into the matter.
The victims, Suraj Kevat, 18, Vikas Kevat, 20, and their father, Ramlagan, were exposed to the lethal fumes on Thursday night, March 21. While the sons died immediately, the father, after receiving treatment at Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, died on Saturday, March 23.
The P North ward's assistant commissioner, Kiran Dighavkar, has ordered a technical inquiry into the nature of the tank. The goal is to find out if the tank is septic or water-based and if there are any technical issues.
There is a difference between the police and the residents belief that it was a water tank with a potential leak. But the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) assessment said that it was a septic tank.
The NCSC stepped in after receiving a letter from criminal counsel Sagar Charan. The commission has asked the police commissioner, the collector, and the municipal commissioner to submit a report outlining their action plan within three days. They have requested details on the individuals who died, incidents, etc.
The union of Shramik Janta Sangh activist Medha Patkar has written to the BMC. They have asked for compensation of INR 30 lakh for each deceased family member as per the 2013 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act.
The victims belonged to the Nishad caste, historically boatmen on the Ganga river. The family hails from Uttar Pradesh. The Nishads are currently classified as OBC but have requested to be a part of the SC category.
Relatives of the deceased have accused both the community-based organisation (CBO) in charge of maintaining the lavatory and the BMC. They claim that, despite repeated reminders, the toilet's repairs were neglected.
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