BJP accuses Patnaik of shielding Bhusan Steel's boss

With the death of another worker in the fire and explosion in Bhushan Steel Limited's (BSL's) factory at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district, opposition BJP today accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of shielding the culprits.
"There are more than 200 cases in different courts of the state against the BSL but no stringent action has been taken so far. Naveen Patnaik has put his self-interest above the state," BJP state president K V Singhdeo said in a statement.
Accusing the Chief Minister of shielding Bhusan boss, Singhdeo claimed that the company has flouted each and every prescribed norm of the Forest and Environment Act.

"The safety measures in the plant were neglected which is in gross violation of the Labour Act. This has resulted in the recent accident in the Bhusan plant killing several innocent people," he pointed out.
While, Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Dash has opined that work process in Bhusan is in compliance with the prescribed norms, Labour Minister Bijayshree Routray is of the view that Bhusan is vehemently flouting the rules, Singhdeo pointed out.
Condemning the arrest of senior BJP leader Rudranarayan Pani and 28 other leaders while demonstrating peacefully in front of the plant, Singhdeo alleged that the Government has gone "intolerable".

Fear of peoples' protest and having nothing to answer, the Government forced to declare 144 in the area, the BJP leader said adding that silence of the Chief Minister on the issue is a shame for the state.
Singhdeo asked the Chief Minister to declare the actual figure of casualties, adequate compensation to the victims at the earliest and proper regulation of Labour law in the plant.