Gandhinagar, April 2 (IANS) The Gujarat government has constituted a high-level probe committee following a devastating explosion at a firecracker factory in the GIDC estate of Deesa, North Gujarat, which claimed 21 lives.
The committee, led by Bhavin Pandya, Secretary of Land Reforms, Department of Revenue, has been tasked with investigating the causes and regulatory lapses behind the tragedy.
The committee has been given a deadline of 15 days to submit its findings.
The probe team includes key officials from multiple departments, namely Bhavin Pandya (Secretary, Land Reforms, Department of Revenue) as the Chairperson, Vishalkumar Vaghela (Deputy Superintendent of Police), HP Sanghavi (Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Gandhinagar), and JA Gandhi (Chief Engineer, Road and Buildings Department). Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has expressed condolences to the bereaved families and emphasised that any negligence leading to the incident will not be tolerated.
Authorities have also promised compensation for the victims’ families. The committee’s findings are expected to shed light on whether systemic failures contributed to the disaster and may lead to policy changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The committee has been assigned the responsibility of probing various aspects of the incident. It will determine the sequence of events that led to the explosion and whether safety protocols were followed.
The investigation will also examine whether the factory had proper authorisation to operate from local authorities and whether separate approvals were obtained for storing explosive substances.
Additionally, the committee will verify whether the factory adhered to the Explosives Act and Rules, the Factories Act, labor laws, and child labor laws. It will also check whether the factory complied with construction regulations, had the necessary fire safety measures, and obtained a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC). Furthermore, the probe will assess whether local authorities conducted regular inspections and identify individuals responsible for lapses in enforcement.
The blast has raised serious concerns about the enforcement of safety regulations in hazardous industries in Gujarat. Families of the victims and local residents have demanded stringent action against those responsible for the tragedy. The opposition parties and labour unions have also called for stricter monitoring of firecracker manufacturing units and better protection for workers in such high-risk environments.
–IANS
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