The Industrial estates in Goa are facing a major challenge when it comes to the safety norms and due to the lack of same innocent people lose their lives. Two accidents within just one week and two innocent lives were lost at Cuncolim Industrial Estate. The Ammonia Gas Leak is still very fresh and the second accident took place at Global Ispat company unit yesterday.
In a tragic incident, a worked employed at one company located in the industrial estate area died due to an ‘unfortunate’ incident.
The worker, 35-year old Yogesh Sharma, a native of Madya Pradesh, died at the Global Ispat company unit yesterday. The reason – he got trapped into machinery which was supposedly undergoing maintenance work.
The deceased had very serious injuries and was found dead. A case of unnatural death has been registered by the local police.
To recall, yesterday afternoon, Yogesh was found dead at the factory after his body, according to police officials, was found squeezed in between the machine at the company unit. “While other workers had moved out, the deceased was alone inside which resulted in his death when the machinery was switched on,” a police officer was quoted as saying.
However, police have said they will be investigating the case to look into if any negligence from the side of the company. The deceased worker’s family has been notified about his death, and officials have been directed to hand over the body to the family after the post-mortem which is scheduled to be conducted today.
South Goa SP, Pankaj Kumar Singh, has said that a preliminary inquiry into the case points out that the worker got trapped in the machinery while carrying out the maintenance work.
The larger question about the safety of industrial workers continues to remain an important aspect, especially at the Cuncolim industrial estate area. In the past years too, the area has been the talking point with regards to workers’ safety and other health hazard concerns for the surrounding area.
Goa Prism had previously reported on how there has been no concrete progress on the recent ammonia leakage that killed one worker which occurred at another unit within the same industrial estate area.
The police, despite aware that certain illegalities and other processes are not really implemented, have failed to clamp down on units that are not following safety protocols, thereby risking the lives of many workers employed.
Over the years, it is learnt that many industrial units flout safety measures that are aimed to provide safe working conditions for its workers. As such, workers are put at risk while working at these units.
Besides these safety issues, several other problems – pollution levels unchecked, no safety standards maintained, uncontrolled debris dumped at many areas – are just a few ills that have taken over the industrial estate over the year.
Authorities – local police and industrial bodies – have hardly made it a point to have surprise checks and inspect industrial units, although, just empty talks are delivered. Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) over the years has failed to tap on the factories causing pollution in the area, despite directing them to install measures to reduce the same.
It is also learnt that over the last ten years, no serious inspection of the area by any major authority has been carried out. The Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC), meanwhile, has stated that it has visited the site and noted down illegal structures and unchecked activities, but it reportedly does not have the authority to take action within the estate premises.
After the two incidents, what local authorities and district administration need to do is to have a serious inspection at these units, and provide utmost safety to all those employed there. Being a migrant workforce, and not providing basic human safety measures violates multiple laws that are in place for the exact same reason to safeguard workers. Authorities need to act, and it must do immediately.
