Cracker units to face the heat

Govt. to take a re-look at employment of women in the industry

March 31, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:45 am IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa giving away a cheque to the kin of a victim of the fire cracker unit accident at Gokulapadu village of S. Rayavaram mandal of Visakhapatnam district.— photo: by arrangement

Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa giving away a cheque to the kin of a victim of the fire cracker unit accident at Gokulapadu village of S. Rayavaram mandal of Visakhapatnam district.— photo: by arrangement

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa, who visited Gokulapadu village in Visakhapatnam district on Monday, where six persons died and five were severely injured in a blast at a cracker manufacturing unit that occurred on Sunday, said the government would strictly impose ban on employing children in cracker manufacturing units.

“Children have died in the last couple of months at various cracker manufacturing units in the coastal districts, and we are asking the MRO, police and the officials from fire department to monitor the units on a regular basis.”

Mr. Rajappa said most of the accidents in such units were due to employing unskilled workers. “We need to look into this aspect and also the employment of women in such a hazardous industry,” he said.

According to him, the units, even those with licence, had been violating the norms of maintaining the prescribed amount of stock of chemicals. “Many are overstocking and this was one of the reasons for the accidents. The authorities have been instructed to monitor the stock and the working conditions,” he said.

The Deputy CM also said that he would recommend a higher amount of compensation to the families of the deceased.

The Chief Minister had already sanctioned Rs. 2 lakh per family and the cheques were handed over by Mr. Rajappa on Monday.

“The workers are from a very poor background and hence I will try to increase the compensation amount,” he said.

The government had already assured the injured persons that it would bear the entire cost of treatment at a corporate hospital and it would be ensured that some compensation was also given, he said.

Panchayat Raj Minister Ch. Ayyanna Parudu and Anakapalle MP M. Srinivasa Rao were present.

Body in well

The body of S. Ramana (27) was fished out from a well near the unit on Monday morning by personnel of the Fire Department and the Navy.

According to District Fire Officer R.G. Sundaram, the deceased would have either been blown into the well or would have jumped into it to douse the fire. The other dead were identified as N. Satyavathi (28), L. Seshamma (40), K. Durga (12), S. Lakshmi (50) and M. Sattibabu (45). The five persons were injured severely were identified as K. Krishna (22), Viswanath (34), B. Appa Rao (35), N. Durga (12) and S. Lakshmi (50). All of them were said to be in a critical condition and was undergoing treatment at Seven Hills hospital here.

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