One killed in mishap at Bhusan steel plant

Odisha Channel Bureau Dhenkanal, July 4: In yet another accident inside Bhusan Steel plant here one unskilled worker died this morning triggering tension.The deceased Thomas Soren(28), who belonged to Jharkhand, had joined at coke oven plant of the steel mill in May.While he was working in the morning, the crane there crushed him injuring him seriously.He was first rushed to Angul hospital and then shifted to Cuttack.He succumbed to his injuries on the way, according to Inspector in charge of Kantabania police station P.K.Jena.As the new spread, hundreds of workers working in steel plant stopped work and squatted in front of the plant from 8 am to 2 pm.Finally, the plant authorities agreed to pay Rs.12 lakh besides Rs.50,000 for the victim’s funeral rites facilitating the withdrawal of protest of workers.“We rushed to plant immediately and controlled the workers unrest.The injured was shifted to Cuttack, but he died on the way.A case has been registered in the police station in this connection.Later, the plant management and workers union reached an agreement and normalcy was restored in the plant in the afternoon, said Jena.Accidents at Bhusan Steel are one of the highest in the state since its inception in 2005 has raised concern among several quarters.So far the state factory and boilers department had booked around 83 cases in the court against the plant authorities.A local court has convicted two senior authorities of Bhusan steel in 17 cases and slapped fine totaling to Rs.34 lakhs.