The dust catcher unit of Hemavati Cooperative Sugar Factory at Srinivasapura near Channarayapatna collapsed after a blast on Sunday, leaving the farmers, who expected the crushing of sugarcane to begin later this month, worried.
The dust catcher attached to the boiler exploded and fell off, making the employees at the unit run for safety. However, none was injured. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. The installation of the dust catcher was completed only on Saturday.
The factory is managed by a private company – Chamundeshwari Sugars. It had taken up renovation of the factory and had scheduled crushing activity from March 29. The company had hired a Delhi-based company to company to install the dust catcher.
ADVERTISEMENT
Company informed
Shravanabelgola MLA C.N. Balakrishna and MLC M.A.Gopalaswamy visited the spot. Mr. Balakrishna told presspersons that the executives of the company had been contacted and they had been told to re-install the unit and make the factory operational soon.