Another worker succumbs at PGI

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 27

The Jamalpur police have registered an FIR against the owner of DC Steels Limited, Jhabewal, in the furnace blast case, in which a labourer Shambu (45) died while 11 others suffered serious burn injuries.

The kin of workers also held a protest outside the industry late night demanding registration of an FIR, following which the police registered a case under Sections 304A, 337, 338 and 120-B of the IPC against factory owner Gurbaksh Singh, Baljinder Singh, alias Balli, contractor Vijay Kumar and some unidentified factory men.

The Labour and Factories Department also started a separate probe to find violations and lapses in the industry, which caused the blast. Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti, assistant director of factories, told The Tribune that the factory was sealed and probe started to find lapses. “Once we finalise our report, it will be submitted to the senior authorities for further action,” he said.

As per Sheela Devi, the complainant, her husband Sri Ram Paswan was working at the factory for the last 15 years and due to serious burn injuries, he was rushed to the PGIMER in Chandigarh, where he succumbed on Saturday morning.

She revealed that the factory owner adopted negligent approach and he deliberately put the lives of workers in danger, as the furnace was in a poor state for the past several months.

“A furnace blast occurred in the factory about three months ago also, in which three factory workers died and two suffered serious burn injuries. The furnace was not repaired properly by the factory owner and workers were forced to work in dangerous conditions and the blast occurred,” she alleged.

The woman alleged that the factory owner was solely responsible for the blast, as he was aware of the fact that the furnace was in a bad shape. She said still he forced the workers do work there.

Jamalpur SHO Harjinder Singh said reports from the Industry and Labour Department was being sought to get conclusive evidence against the factory owner and the extent of violence he committed. Accused are yet to be arrested, the SHO said.