Four labourers died, and four others were hospitalised after inhaling toxic gases while working inside a septic tank at a jewellery factory in Sitapura, an industrial area of Jaipur, Rajasthan, when they had been sent to recover residual gold and silver from the sludge.
Monday evening, the workers went to Achal Jewels’ factory in Sitapura to recover precious metals. As for the injured, two were in critical condition, and discharged after primary treatment.
Initially, the workers did not want to enter the septic tank due to the extreme heat, and to the presence of toxic gases. After some persuasion from the factory’s management staff, the workers agreed to being in the septic tank for extra cash.
Amit and Rohit were the first to enter the septic tank. Minutes later, they started to lose consciousness and screamed for help. Their fellow workers, Sanjeev, Himanshu, Arpit, Ajay, Rajpal, Mukesh, tried to rescue them and jumped into the tank as well. They also lost consciousness due to suffocation after entering the tank.
The workers were pulled out of the septic tank and rushed to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital but unfortunately, Sanjeev, Himanshu, Rohit and Arpit were pronounced dead on arrival.
Surendra Singh, a senior police officer, indicated that the workers were employed by a contractor and were performing refurbishing work at a jewellery manufacturing unit.
Fine gold and silver particles settle in septic tanks during washing in garment manufacturing jewellery. After a while, solid sludge bearing residues of these metals accumulate at the base. Factories usually retrieve these using the sanitary workers. Forensic teams came to the scene and a formal investigation began into the case.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot criticized the BJP-led government’s passive position relating to safety measures for sanitation workers and cleaning machines. Gehlot mentioned there have been a minimum of 10 deaths of sanitation workers while cleaning septic tanks in the past months.
