Concerned over the rise in cases of fatal accidents at the Bhushan Steel Plant at Meramandali in Dhenkanal district, the district collector has warned of stringent action against the company if such accidents continued unabated.
The district collector has even warned that she would write to the Orissa government seeking closure of the Bhushan Steel Plant if no remedial measures are taken by the company authorities.
Thirty deaths have been reported in the premises of the steel plant since the start of construction of the project in 2005 though the unofficial sources put the death toll at 60. Two deaths were reported in May this year triggering public outcry on lack of safety in the plant.
At a review meeting between the district administration and different industries held on Tuesday, Mrinalini Darswall, the Dhenkanal district collector and the superintendent of police expressed concern over the spate of deaths in the Bhushan Steel plant. Nine industries participated in the meeting. Besides Bhushan Steel, they included Lanco, GMR Power, Mahalaxmi Power, and Rungta Mines.
The district collector asked the inspector of factories stationed at National Aluminium Company (Nalco) to submit a detailed report on the fatal accidents that have occurred so far in the Bhushan Steel Plant.
The meeting took serious note of safety and environmental issues and Bhushan Steel was accused of severe pollution and unsafe practices which put the workers as well as the local people at risk.
The district police chief, Satish Gajviye stressed on the need for a peaceful solution to the problems. He advised industries to help create conducive atmosphere and take proper safety measures to curb the accidents.
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Apart from safety and environmental issues, the meeting also focused on land acquisition and peripheral development.
It was decided that the retired government officials having experience in revenue matters would be engaged by the industries to expedite land acquisition. On the peripheral development front, the industries were asked to be flexible in granting money to ward off any public discontent.