BSL CEO arrested, new blast furnace area sealed

The CEO of Bhushan Steel Ltd and two other company executives were today arrested, a day after a worker was killed and 15 others were injured in a fire and explosion at the private steel plant in Dhenkanal district, police said.
Besides BSL CEO Atulya Kumar Verma, blast furnace in-charge Naveen Tyagi and operating head Meghpal Singh were arrested, SP Manoranjan Mohanty told PTI.
They were arrested under section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), section 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), section 34 (acts done by several persons in the commission of offences) of IPC besides section 92 of Factory Act.

On the basis of an inspection report of a four-member team of the Factory and Boiler Directorate, the district administration has sealed the new blast furnace area of the steel plant at Meramunduli.
"The police are guarding the accident site and the area is sealed. If there are other bodies, the police and fire officials will find out," district collector Roopa Roshan Sahu said.
She said that BSL authorities had not taken proper precautions and that they did not take permission from the state government before commissioning the blast furnace.
Three of the 11 injured undergoing treatment in Cuttack have been shifted to a private hospital as their condition turned critical, official sources said.

State Labour Minister Bijayshree Routray said government was taking all possible steps to ensure safety in the steel plant.