RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Sept.28: Seven deaths and 11 injuries in three major accidents in the last 50 days expose the poor inspection of factories running in the state where an investment of Rs 10,000 crore is expected within three years.
The first incident took place on August 10. As many as 11 sustained burn injuries after a pipe being used for the flow of heated liquid raw material meant for the production of aluminium leaked at the HINDALCO plant in Muri, about 50km from the Jharkhand capital.
Another incident took place on August 26. As many four died when the elevator cable broke in order to inspect a 90-meter high chimney associated with FGD of Koderma Thermal Power Station (KTPS) of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Banjhedih in Koderma.
All deceased were senior officers of Shree Vijaya Company, which was engaged for chimney construction by Thermax Company on back to back basis for its expertise in the work. Thermax Company was allotted work by DVC.
The third incident took place on September 27 evening at Vedanta Electrosteel Plant at Siyaljori under Chandankiyari block of Bokaro district. Three contract labourers, Mohammed Shahnawaz, Mohammed Osama, and Mohammed Sultan died after they fell down during the maintenance of an elevator attached to a blast furnace under construction. Chandankiyari MLA Amar Kumar Bauri demanded a high-level probe into the matter saying the incident took place due to negligence.
Contacted Chief Factory Inspector of the state, Gopal Kumar, for his comment on the matter he said legal action in the matter of Hindalco has already been taken while a probe in the matter of KTPS incident is going on. Regarding the Chandankiyari incident, he suggested contacting the factory inspector of the Bokaro circle.
Contacted factory inspector of Bokaro Circle Vinit Kumar Singh he said a team has been sent to the spot today for a probe.
Asked chief inspector of the state Kumar why regular reports of accidents are coming, he expressed his concern saying ‘cost of industrialisation is being paid’. He underplayed the incident of regular accidents referring to the Bhopal gas tragedy. “Such incident is not like that happened in Bhopal,” he said.
