RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.31: Back to back two major accidents in industrial units leaving four dead and 11 injured exposed the poor standard of inspection in factories established in the state.
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 while the production of aluminum leaked at the HINDALCO plant in Muri, about 50km from the Jharkhand capital.
Another incident took place on August 26. As many as 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 probe was started in both cases but no one knows when the report will become public and people will be able to know the reason behind accidents to take lessons for future guidance.
Superintendent of police of Koderma, Kumar Gaurav, regarding the Koderma incident said a probe is being done by the factory inspector and police both. “Police investigation is on. Can’t say regarding the investigation of the factory inspector,” he added.
Contacted Chief Factory Inspector of the state, Gopal Kumar, to know about the reports he parried, suggesting this correspondent to ‘go through Act’ before contacting him for comments on these matters. Earlier he questioned the purpose behind asking this and asked if this correspondent knew the time required to submit a probe report.
He said preparing a report of an accident is a time taking job and a lot of facts are required to prepare it. “It is different from news stories,” he said. Insisted further to share something to make people know, he said: “Rule does not permit him to share anything.”
Contacted a labour department official to help know the appropriate Act Kumar suggested to know to prepare a news report, the official without commenting on the Kumar’s words said, ‘role of factory inspectors in the state has become perfunctory at best as they do not work keeping the letter and spirit of the law in their mind and always find an escape route in case of any mistake on their parts.’
Asked to elaborate, the labour department official said: “The main objectives of the Indian Factories Act, 1948 are to regulate the working conditions in factories, to regulate health, safety, welfare, and annual leave and enact a special provision in respect of young persons, women and children who work in the factories.”
“Role of factory inspectors is to bring down the number of accidents & dangerous occurrences in the factories. Apart from this, they are also expected to detect and eradicate occupational diseases and consequent compensation and rehabilitation of the workers or victims. Detecting and eliminating child labour completely from the factories of the State is also their duty. They do not perform their role properly. When something major happens they get exposed otherwise everything is fine,” the labour department official added.
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