Minister threatens to quit ministry over Bhushan issue

State forest minister Bijayashree Routray says he won't hesitate to show his displeasure if strong action is not taken against company

 

The state minister for forest, environment and labour, Bijayashree Routray, has asserted that he would not hesitate to quit his post if he fails to get to the truth behind recent blast and irregularities at Bhushan Steel (BSL) plant.

Routray, who recently gave a controversial remark to the media persons that they should ask the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik why his instructions earlier to book BSL authorities for lapses in safety measures were not carried out by his department officials, has said that he will not hesitate to show his displeasure if strong action is not taken against the company.

“If I am unable to satisfy the families of injured workers, trade unions and the media, then I will express my displeasure by any manner. I can even quit the cabinet if I feel that my service is no longer required,” he said.

Main opposition party Congress today said that BSL authorities can be booked under charges of culpable homicide for the last week’s fire accident at the plant’s blast furnace II. “If the management has not ensured safety measures and knows that such action could lead to death of workers, then it will be considered as murder,” said Narasingha Mishra, senior Congress leader and lawyer. “If Mishra feels that there was a violation of rules, then we will see that our department must take steps to investigate the matter,” Routray said.