With economic growth and industrial progress, India has also witnessed an unfortunate consequence: a disturbing rise in fatal accidents at workplaces. Tens of thousands of workers die at a horrifying rate in accidents at workplaces across the country.

Groundxero | March 24, 2024

In the last 7 days, between March 18 and March 24, at least 24 workers lost their lives, while several others were injured, many seriously, in a series of accidents in factories, at construction sites or while cleaning sewers and septic tanks across the country.

Five Workers Charred to Death After Boiler Explosion in a Chemical Factory in Jaipur

Five workers were charred to death while two others critically injured in a massive fire that broke out after an explosion in a chemical factory in Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur on 23 March. The workers were working inside the Shalimar Chemical Factory on Saturday evening, when suddenly a boiler exploded following which a massive fire broke out in the factory.

The intensity of the fire was so strong that it engulfed the entire factory within minutes. The workers did not get a chance to escape; they were trapped and got badly burnt. All the deceased workers are said to be local. At least four workers were seriously injured and were hospitalised.

A day after five workers were killed in the chemical factory fire, anguished relatives of the deceased workers on Sunday protested, demanding government jobs for the family members of each victim, compensation of Rs 50 lakh and action against the factory owner. The families have kept the bodies on the Bainada Shreeji road road near the accident spot and refused to take them back.

The factory owner is absconding after the incident. According to Chief Fire Officer Devendra Kumar, the factory lacked a fire system to deal with emergency situations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) East Kavendra Singh Sagar said that five workers had died on the spot due to the fire in the chemical factory. Those who lost their lives include Hiralal Gurjar, Gokul Harijan, Krishna Gurjar, Manohar Gurjar and they are residents of Bainada village, while Babulal Meena used to work as a supervisor here and succumbed to his injuries today. Another deceased worker could not be identified. He is said to be a resident of Mathura (Uttar Pradesh).

Death Toll Rises to 11 in the Blast at a Factory in Rewari (Haryana):

Just a few days ago, a similar fatal accident took place in an auto spare parts factory, Lifelong Pvt Ltd, located in Dharuhera industrial area of ​​Rewari district of Haryana. This incident happened on March 16.  60-70 people were working in the factory, when around 5.45 pm, the dust collector exploded, in which about 40 workers were injured. The workers’ bodies were badly burnt due to the chemicals released from the pipes.

The deceased workers are migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi. A total of 11 workers have lost their lives so far in the blast. The three who died yesterday in hospital were identified as Devesh from Bahraich, Manoj from Gonda and Ghanshyam from Hardoi.

Even though the workers have alleged management negligence as the dust collector had not been cleaned for months, no arrests have been made so far, said a report in the Times of India. This is despite an FIR being lodged the day after the blast. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini has directed SDM, Rewari to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the matter and submit a report.

State President of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Comrade Rajendra Singh Advocate said that this accident did not happen spontaneously, but alleged that the company management was already aware of risk involved in carrying out production at the factory, and instead of three boilers, only one boiler was working, and it too had not been serviced for a long time. He alleged that the Labor Department officials kept sitting with their eyes closed while the workers had complained about this to the Labor Department.

The injured workers complained that the company did not provide protective clothing and safety kits to the workers, even though the workers had been raising all these demands with the manager. They also said that the boiler had also exploded twice before; still it was not properly maintained and serviced regularly.

AIUTUC leader said that despite the tragic accident, the company did not close even for a day. “This is the barbarity and rudeness of the profit-seeking system. Managers consider workers as carrots and radishes which come new to the market every day. This is the importance of workers’ lives for them” said Rajendra Singh.

The union has demanded that a case of murder be registered against the manager of the factory. It said a compensation of Rs 1 crore should be given to the family members of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh should be given to the injured. The family members of the deceased should be given permanent jobs. Effective steps should be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Three Labourer Died in Mumbai Sewer Drain Tragedy:

Three labourers died as they fell into the chamber of a 15 feet underground sewer drain that they were contracted to clean. The incident took place on Thursday evening, March 21, in Ambujwadi in Walad West. While two labourers, Surak Kevat, 18, Bikas Kevat, 20, died on the spot, the third labour, Ramlagan Chotelal Kevat, 45, who was admitted to a government-run hospital, succumbed on Saturday morning, March 23.

The labourers were contracted to clean the sewer drain when they fell into the chamber below a public toilet that is maintained by a contractor. All three labourers were from the same family. The police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) as it has not received any official complaint in this connection so far. The BMC has sent a notice to Jay Durga Seva Society, who had the cleaning contract.

One Worker Dies in Bihar as Bridge Slabs Fall:

On March 22, one worker died and eight others were injured when huge concrete slabs on an under-construction bridge over River Kosi in Bihar collapsed over them. The 10.5 km bridge is being built as part of the Union government’s ambitious Bharatmala Project, and is a joint venture between Gammon Engineers and Contractors Private Limited and Transrail Lighting Limited, according to Indian Express.

One Labourer Dies While Laying Sewer Line in Uttarakhand:

On March 18, one labourer died and another injured as they were buried under the debris while laying a sewer line in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand. The deceased was identified as Mangal Tharu, 24, and the injured as Bhim Bahadur, 60. Both the workers were hired by a contractor to dig mud for a sewer line, when a huge stone fell over them, said a report in Times of India.

One Labourer Crushed to Death in Jajpur, Odisha:

One labourer died and two others were seriously injured in a stone crushing unit on March 18, in Rahadpur of Jajpur district in Odisha. The incident took place when the three labourers were opening the wheels of a crusher machine; one of them came under the wheels and died on the spot, while two others sustained serious injuries.

Angry villagers blocked the roads, alleging that the stone crushing unit was illegal. “No stone crusher unit in Rahadpur and other areas has a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to operate. Local labourers don’t get work at these stone crushing units. The owners of stone crushing units are bringing labourers from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh to work here,” a villager was quoted as saying, in a report in New Indian Express.

Two Workers Killed in Bahraich in UP:

On March 16, two labourers died and nine were injured when the roof of an under-construction resort collapsed over them. The Laser Resort, where the incident happened, is situated along the Bahraich-Sitapur highway in UP. The deceased were identified as Saleem (29) and Jogendra (24). A case has been registered against the resort owner and the contractor.