Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Apr 11:

The Odisha High Court has sought an action taken report (ATR) from the state government as well as the authorities of the Bhusan Steel Plant at Kantabania in Dhenkanal district on the steps taken to provide compensation to the victims killed in the blast furnace mishap on November 13 last year and the measures taken to avert such mishap in the plant in future.Orissa High Court

The directive was issued on Thursday by a division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice AK Goel and Justice AK Rath while hearing the three separate petitions filed by human rights activist Prafulla Samantray, secretary of Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum Anant Kumar Mohapatra and Dhruba Charan Behera.

Stating that the roles of the state government and Bhushan authorities in the mishap that occurred in the plant in November last year deserves a thorough investigation, the petitioners had said that while 94 workers were killed in the frequent mishaps in the plant since its inception, the state government has not taken any action against the plant authorities till date.

The petitioners also informed the court that the Bhushan authorities are yet to provide details about the death of the workers during a blast in the blast furnace-2 of the plant in November while there are allegations that the death toll could have been over 100.

Alleging that  gross irregularities have been committed by the company in connivance with some senior government officials the petitioners have urged the court to direct the state government to order a thorough probe into the matter.

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