Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh – February 14, 2025 – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing incident where 38 students from a government-run school fell ill after inhaling toxic fumes from a nearby cement factory in Baloda Bazar district on January 22, 2025.
NHRC’s Action and Concerns
🔹 Notice Issued to Chhattisgarh Government – The Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh has been asked to submit a detailed report within four weeks.
🔹 Health & Safety Review – The report must include the health status of affected students and measures taken to mitigate health hazards.
🔹 Human Rights Violation Concerns – The NHRC emphasized that if the reports are accurate, they raise serious human rights violations concerning children’s safety.
Possible Cause of Toxic Exposure
As per media reports from January 23, 2025, the cement plant allegedly used excessive “Phosphorus Pentasulfide”—a chemical used to decompose waste for alternative fuel production. It is suspected that the overuse of this chemical led to the release of toxic fumes, endangering students and local residents.
The NHRC’s intervention underscores the need for strict industrial safety measures and accountability to prevent such hazardous incidents in the future.
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