16 workers injured in major fire at chemical factory in Gujarat's Bharuch
Jhagadia (Bharuch) (PTI): At least 16 workers were injured after a massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Gujarat's Bharuch district on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The blaze erupted around 1 pm at Metropolitan Eximchem Pvt Ltd, located in the Jhagadia Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) area, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Meena said.
At least 16 workers suffered injuries and were admitted to nearby hospitals for treatment. No fatalities have been reported so far, he said.
Emergency response teams and local police personnel rushed to the site after being alerted about the incident. Fire tenders and ambulances are also stationed at the spot, Meena said.
Efforts to douse the fire are still underway, he added.
In addition to the fire brigade personnel from Jhagadia, two fire tenders from the disaster prevention and management centre in Ankleshwar were deployed to assist in controlling the blaze, an official added.
Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, visible from a considerable distance.
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Polling held so far in first phase of Bengal polls indicates TMC already in position to win: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that polling held so far in the first phase of the assembly polls indicates the TMC is already in a position to win.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said at a rally in Bow Bazar area of Kolkata that she will conquer Delhi taking along all opposition parties, after winning the election.
A voter turnout of 89.93 per cent was recorded till 5 pm, as polling was underway in 152 of the 294 assembly seats in phase 1. The next round will take place on April 29, while counting will be held on May 4.
"From my understanding of people's mind, we are already in a position to win given the polling held so far today," Banerjee said.
"I am not interested in any post, I don't want the chair. I only want the end of BJP government in Delhi," she said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a rally in Krishnanagar, congratulated the people of West Bengal for the massive turnout in the first phase of the polls, terming it an "overwhelming mandate for change".
Banerjee, however, asserted that people voted in good numbers to protest the deletion of names in the SIR exercise, claiming that her efforts led to inclusion of 32 lakh names in the voter list.
"On the day of the polls, you (PM) are saying you will win; can you say this?" Banerjee said, adding, "How can the BJP be so naive."
Responding to Modi’s remarks that the BJP’s Bengal unit would hold victory celebrations on May 4 after the counting of votes gets over, and the party would distribute among people not just sweets, but also ‘jhalmuri’, the CM said: "I will send ‘bhelpuri’ (popular street food) to you, it is available in Delhi."
The PM had savoured ‘jhalmuri’ (another popular street snack) at an unscheduled stop during his visit to Jhargram last week.
At the Krishnanagar rally on Thursday, Modi also said: “I have heard that even ‘jhalmuri’ has given certain individuals a thunderous jolt. I had 'jhalmuri', but it seems that the TMC leaders are feeling heat of the chillies.”
Replying to the PM, Banerjee said “we are used to jhalmuri's spiciness”.
Speaking at another rally in Tollygunj constituency, Banerjee said she has always championed the cause of people and will continue to do so.
"They (the BJP) have been bothering Bengal for the last 12 years," the TMC chief said, maintaining that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not releasing the state’s pending dues.
Criticising the PM, Banerjee said that while on one hand he talks about lawlessness in Bengal, and on the other, he says that peaceful polls were held.
Noting that 90 lakh names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR process, Banerjee said even those who never used to go to vote came out to exercise their franchise in the first phase on Thursday.
"We will win on their votes, no other party will win. Why will the TMC not win? We will surely win," she asserted.
Banerjee added that she was not concerned with the record number of central force deployment for the assembly polls. "It is the people who will cast the votes and not the police or the CAPF."
