C'garh Assembly: Cong stages walkout over explosives factories

Opposition Congress today staged a walkout in Chhattisgarh Assembly after the government failed to respond to some questions regarding two explosives factories located in Abhanpur region of Raipur district.
During Question Hour, senior Congress MLA Dhanendra Sahu sought to know the capacity of annual production and storage of Navbharat Fuse Company and Navbharat Explosives Company located in Urla and Gatapar villages under Abahanpur nagar panchayat and asked whether these factories fall under 'highly dangerous' category.
In his reply, Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra informed about the production and storage capacity of both these units and said they have been placed under highly dangerous ZZ category.

As per the reply, M/s Navbharat Fuse Co. Has been given the annual production licence for PETN/TNT (625 MT), Nitrl compound explosives (PETN/TNT/BOOSTER)(6,900kg), electric detonators (4,000 kg), slurry explosives (10,000 kg) and other explosives materials.
Similarly, M/s Navbharat Explosives Company has been given the annual production licence for slurry explosives (1 crore kg and 8 lakh MT separately) and nitrate mixture (37.5 MT, 16 MT and 37.5 MT separately).
Sahu also sought to know the date of issuing licences as well as the production details of these units along with supply in the past few years. However, the minister said that he was not able to provide the information immediately.

Enraged over his reply, Sahu said on August 1, 2014, five labourers had died in an explosion at the Navbharat Fuse Company, but so far no stringent action has been taken against the company.
"Only the licence of the particular unit where the incident had occurred, was cancelled, while production in rest of the units is still underway. Both the factories are located close to the residential area. In fact a state housing board colony has also been developed in its close vicinity," Sahu alleged.