New Delhi: Bhushan Steel, which operates a plant in Odisha where a fire broke out last week killing one person and injuring 15, was today accused by Union Minister and Congress leader Srikant Kumar Jena of violating all safety and labour laws.
When contacted, a Bhushan Steel spokesperson declined to comment on Jena's allegations.
"Right from the inception till now, Bhushan is bulldozing all laws of the land and could manage to stay there," Jena, who hails from Odisha, claimed at a press conference here.
He was responding to a query related to the fire that broke out at Bhushan Steel's blast furnace unit in Odisha's Dhenkanal district.
Jena, who is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Chemicals & Fertiliser and Statistics & Programme Implementation, claimed that the accident was not the first of its kind in the Bhushan Steel plant.
He further alleged that there is no serious attempt by the state government and the Labour Ministry to oversee the quality of work and safety measures implemented at the plant.
"This is complete collusion of the state government administration and the state political regime.
"The Bhushan Steel plant is operating in the state of Odisha violating all norms of safety measures and these people (Bhushan brothers) have to close down their plant and booked immediately. I don't know why criminal action has not been taken so far," he said.
Jena alleged that people have been dying in the Bhushan Steel plant because no safety measures have been adopted.
"No labour law is being implemented there. Safety rules are all violated everyday. And they feel that they (Bhushan brothers) are the state. No law of the state, law of the land is enforced in Bhushan.
"Therefore, it is the Chief Minister who needs to answer, why this? Is there any political nexus?" he asked.
Jena said he would soon visit the plant and put these questions in front of the state government.