62 accidents reported at ordnance factories in 2024: Govt to parliament

As many as 62 industrial accidents were reported at ordnance factories across the country in 2024, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said this in a written response to a query from Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala who sought to know the number of industrial accidents, including blasts, reported at ordnance factories during the past five years.

In his response, the minister shared that 62 accidents were reported at the 41 Ordnance Factories (now DPSUs) in 2024, 75 in 2023, 83 in 2022, 74 in 2021 and 54 in 2020.

The ministry was also asked about the steps taken to provide compensation and support to the families of the deceased and to the injured workers and whether the government was considering any long-term healthcare or rehabilitation support for the injured, especially those who may suffer long-term physical or psychological trauma.

 

The compensation and support to the families of the deceased workers and to the injured workers are provided as per provisions of the Employees Compensation Act, 1923, and financial assistance or ex gratia as per policies of the DPSUs concerned, Seth said.

"Long-term healthcare support to the injured, suffering long-term physical or psychological trauma, is being provided by the DPSUs concerned as per the policies of the government and DPSU concerned," he added.

The government was also asked whether there is any plan to review the safety standards and regulations governing ordnance factories, especially concerning the handling and storage of explosives.

"The erstwhile Ordnance Factories (now DPSUs), concerning handling and storage of explosives, are governed by the safety standards and regulations given by the Centre for Fire, Explosives and Environment Safety (CFEES) which are reviewed from time to time.

"Further, there is an institutional mechanism of safety audits by different agencies including CFEES, which conducts annual safety audit of factories dealing with ammunition and explosives. A task force has been constituted by the ministry for assessment of safety aspects in such units," Seth added.