The way illegalities of accident prone units of Bhusan Steel in Dhenkanal were allowed to continue hints at the tacit support that the company had received from both State as well as Central government, alleged the fact finding team of Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU).
A three-member team of the IFTU led by its national committee member Sujan Chakraborty had visited the Bhusan Steel area where a devastating accident had occurred on November 13. This team included the State convener of the organisation Pratap Nayak and trade union activist Bhajaman Behera. In their report after the visit they alleged that even now government was trying to protect the illegalities of Bhusan Steel Company in subtle manner. They pointed out that as per reports since 2006, several accidents had occurred at the Bhusan Steel campus and 108 persons had died. According to them the real death toll was higher than this. Although it happened to be most accident prone industry in Odisha, the State Labour Department had conspicuously omitted its name from the list of 39 most accident prone industries in Odisha, said Mr. Nayak.
As per the IFTU delegation, without having proper permission from the State government, State Labour Department and State Pollution Control Board, the Bhusan Steel could rum its boiler units, captive power plant and blast furnace, which speaks at some unholy nexus between the company and people in power. The erring company was alleged to have not procured proper environmental clearance from Central government as well as clearance from National Highway authority. This company is situated adjacent to National Highway.
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“The real face of so called industrialisation process in Odisha and the protection of illegal activities of private companies by the government has come to the fore due to the Bhusan Steel accident,” the IFTU leaders said.