NHRC notice to Tamil Nadu govt over cleaning of toilets by two school students

Chennai: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued show cause notice to Tamil Nadu government, asking why a sum of Rs 25,000 should not be paid to two girl students for being made to clean toilets by the headmistress of a school in Tirunelveli.

"Justice D Murugesan, Member of the Commission has also recommended that the state government initiate legal action against the headmistress of the school for her misconduct," a release from NHRC said.

During inquiry, NHRC found that the students were daughters of a sweeper who had not come for work that day and "therefore," the headmistress had asked the girls to clean the toilet.

Further, the Commission also observed that the sweeper was paid Rs 20 per week for cleaning toilet, which it said cannot be justified as a reasonable wage under any standard.

The state Social Justice Department has been asked to take action and submit a report along with the response to the show cause notice within six weeks, it said.