Toxic negligence: The human cost of unsafe industrial cleaning in Gujarat

By Kantilal Parmar* 

The repeated deaths of sanitation workers from toxic gas exposure in Gujarat are not isolated industrial accidents. They represent a continuing failure of governance, workplace safety, and respect for the fundamental human rights of some of the state's most vulnerable workers.

Over the past year, workers have died while cleaning Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), septic tanks, sewers, and other confined spaces across Gujarat. These tragedies have become so frequent that they expose a systemic pattern of negligence rather than unfortunate mishaps.

The most recent incident occurred at an  ETP plant in Saij GIDC, Kalol taluka, Gandhinagar district, where three workers lost their lives and another suffered serious injuries. Shortly thereafter, four workers died from toxic gas exposure inside an ETP tank in Surat's Khand Bazaar area. Earlier, three workers were killed while cleaning the ETP plant in Pandesara, Surat. In August 2025, two workers died and two others were critically injured while cleaning an ETP tank at a food processing factory in Sokhada village, Khambhat-Anand.

These four incidents alone claimed the lives of twelve workers and left four others seriously injured.

A disturbing pattern runs through each tragedy. Workers were reportedly sent into hazardous confined spaces without basic safety equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE), gas detectors, oxygen support systems, safety harnesses, or trained rescue arrangements. In several cases, when one worker collapsed after inhaling toxic gas, fellow workers instinctively entered the tank to rescue their colleague, only to become victims themselves. Such preventable chain fatalities have become an all-too-familiar reality.

This is not merely an occupational safety issue. It is a grave violation of the constitutional guarantee of the right to life under Article 21, the right to human dignity, and the right to a safe workplace. No society that values human life can accept such reckless disregard for the lives of poor and unorganised workers.

Recognising the recurring nature of these violations, I have submitted a composite complaint before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), New Delhi, urging immediate intervention into the repeated deaths of sanitation workers across Gujarat.

The NHRC must order an independent investigation into all fatal incidents involving ETP plants, septic tanks, sewers, and other confined-space cleaning operations over the past year. It should call for detailed reports from the Chief Secretary of Gujarat, the Director General of Police, the Labour Department, the Factory Inspectorate, and the concerned district administrations.

Those responsible—including companies, contractors, and negligent public officials—must face strict criminal prosecution wherever safety norms have been violated.

Justice for the victims must go beyond monetary compensation. Every bereaved family deserves adequate compensation, permanent employment for one family member, free education for children, and comprehensive rehabilitation. Workers who survived with serious injuries must receive the best available medical treatment and appropriate compensation.

Equally important is preventing future tragedies. Gujarat should immediately conduct a statewide safety audit of all ETP plants, septic tanks, sewer cleaning operations, and other confined-space workplaces, particularly in industrial estates. No worker should be allowed to enter a confined space without mandatory PPE, gas detection equipment, oxygen support, trained rescue personnel, and a properly enforced "Permit to Work" system. The state government should also publish six-monthly public reports on hazardous cleaning operations and compliance with safety standards.

After every tragedy, authorities routinely announce inquiries and compensation. Yet the same incidents continue to recur. Investigations alone do not save lives. Only strict enforcement of safety regulations, accountability for violations, and sustained institutional reform can prevent more workers from dying needlessly.

The Government of India, the Government of Gujarat, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, and all concerned authorities must act with urgency. Every preventable death is a reminder that indifference has become institutionalised.

No worker should lose their life simply because basic safety measures were ignored. Gujarat owes its sanitation and industrial workers more than condolences after each tragedy. It owes them dignity, protection, justice, and the assurance that they will return home safely after a day's work.

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*Human rights activist, Gujarat