Explosion at quarry site in Karnataka: NGT directs committee to submit report
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has formed a six-member committee and directed it to submit a report in connection with a gelatin explosion at a quarry site in Chikkaballapur in Karnataka that left six people dead.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel took note of a media report and issued notices to the Central Pollution Control Board, state pollution control board, Director Mines Karnataka and the District Magistrate Chikkaballapur.
We constitute a six-member joint committee comprising the CPCB, State PCB, District Magistrate, Chikkaballapur, nominee of Director General, Mines, Chief Controller of Explosives, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Nagpur, and the Director, Mines, Karnataka to give a report to this tribunal, the bench said.
The nodal agency for coordination and compliance will be the CPCB and the State PCB, the NGT said while adding that the committee may visit the site preferably within next one week and give its report about the cause of the incident.
Except for visit to the site at least once, the Committee will be free to conduct its proceedings online. It will be free to take the assistance from any other expert/organization.
The Committee may suitably interact with the stakeholders and, apart from considering the present incident, also consider remedial measures for preventing such incidents in the area or by other establishments even beyond the said area, the bench said.
The tribunal took cognisance of media report dated February 23, 2021 which reported that six people were killed in quarry blast in Hirenagavalli, Chikkaballapur on February 22.
The blast occurred in a stone quarry unit situated in Hirenagavalli village.
According to the preliminary information shared by the police, the quarrying work was stopped at the site on February 7 after local residents complained of rampant use of gelatin sticks.
The work continued despite the ban, and another raid was conducted by the police, during which the contractor was warned not to use gelatin. The explosives went off when the men were trying to dispose them off, the NGT noted.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
