Himachal's human rights body seeks probe report on Jharmajri factory fire

Ambika Sharma

Solan, March 5

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a report in the gruesome February 2 perfume factory fire incident of NR Aromas at Jharmajri in Barotiwala where nine workers had died.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Solan, Ajay Yadav, who is conducting a magisterial enquiry, informed that a report has been sought into the February 2 fire incident of Barotiwala by the SHRC. Since the reports of the forensic science labs was yet to be received, no conclusion could be drawn and a month’s time had been sought after the first hearing held yesterday at Shimla.

Officials of the Central Forensic Science lab as well as the state forensic science lab from Shimla had drawn various samples from the unit premises as well as the godown soon after the fire incident. Its reports were yet to be received even after lapse of a month. This has delayed completion of the magisterial enquiry where various aspects like presence of various types of chemicals were being examined to ascertain the cause of the fire.

As per records, the unit was manufacturing industrial perfume. Various aspects of industrial safety pertaining to storage of inflammable chemicals were being examined to ascertain the cause of the blaze. Shortcomings in the regulatory framework have come to light.

Three owners of the ill-fated unit had sought an anticipatory bail from the high court while the police failed to arrest them despite availing non-bailable warrants against them from the lower court on February 5. Though several police teams camped in various cities of Madhya Pradesh they returned empty-handed. The police had merely arrested a plant head, Chandershekhar, and a deputy plant head, Vinod Kumar, in the incident while the FIR was registered against unknown persons for negligent conduct.