People's Democracy

Action Demanded Against Singrauli Blasts Guilty

MORE than 40 lives have been lost in twin blasts in two adjacent explosive factories, namely IDEAL Explosives and REPL in Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh on July 5, 2009. The CITU has condemned it as utter neglect and flouting of safety norms, for which the managements are solely responsible. Defying all safety rules applicable to in explosives factories, explosives and detonators were kept in the open, and the factories were constructed too close in contravention of safety restrictions.

According to the CITU, this accident shows the negligence of factory inspection machinery which has given full liberty to owners to flout safety rules. The CITU has demanded a judicial enquiry to bring out the cause and bring the guilty officials to book for such a huge blast and loss of so many lives. Steps must be taken to avoid any such accident in future. All the victims must be properly identified and all efforts to suppress the casualty figures stopped. There were many contract workers and others at the blast time; their bodies should be retrieved. A compensation of Rs 10 lakh must be given to the family of each victims and an adequate amount to every injured person. Employment must be given to one dependent of the dead and disabled. Factory inspection must be strengthened in all areas and any violation of statutory provisions taken up with due seriousness.

Meanwhile, a fact finding team led by CITU secretary Dipankar Mukherjee visited Singrauli on July 7. (INN)