Nagpur blast: Probe points to company's negligence; safety agencies also liable, says minister
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday said prima facie there was "negligence" on the part of the Nagpur-based SBL Energy Limited, where a blast claimed 19 lives, and safety measures were not followed by the explosives manufacturer.
The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) and the labour commissionerate also failed to ensure safety practices in explosive manufacturing units in the region, and their accountability must be fixed, Bawankule told reporters here.
Nineteen persons died and 23 were injured after a blast occurred at the SBL Energy Limited factory, a mining and industrial explosives manufacturer, at Raulgaon in Katol tehsil of the district on Sunday. Of the injured persons, 13 were in critical condition, the district guardian minister said.
He said the company will pay a compensation of Rs 75 lakh to the families of each of the deceased and Rs 25 lakh to the injured persons. Besides, the Centre will give Rs 2 lakh and the state government will provide Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.
The victims' families will get a total compensation of Rs 82 lakh, Bawankule said.
A rehabilitation package will also be drawn up for those who suffered physical disabilities in the incident, he added.
The blast took place at the detonator assembly plant of SBL Energy Limited, the minister informed.
He held a meeting with state minister Ashish Jaiswal, Ramtek MP Shyamkumar Barwe, Katol MLA Sharad Singh Thakur, the divisional commissioner, district collector, superintendent of police, and officials of PESO and DISH in connection with the incident.
The police have arrested nine directors of the explosives manufacturing company in connection with the incident, officials said.
The Kalmeshwar police here have registered a case against 21 directors and shareholders of the SBL Energy Limited under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, they said.
Bawankule said the primary report (by safety agencies) has indicated "negligence" on the part of the explosives company and that safety measures were not followed properly.
A detailed report is expected in a month, he added.
The minister, who holds charge of the revenue department, said it was decided in the meeting that apart from the company, accountability will be fixed on PESO, DISH officials and the labour commissionerate.
They have not followed the inspection duties and safety measures properly in the last couple of years. Hence, the divisional commissioner, collector and SP will fix the responsibilty and if needed, cases will be registered against officials of the safety agencies, he said.
Bawankule also said that they held discussions with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and briefed him about four-five incidents of blasts at explosives manufacturing factories in Nagpur district in the past few years.
The divisional commissioner will prepare a report on all these blasts. It will be sent to the Centre so that necessary amendments can be made to the laws concerned, to frame proper SOPs and to prevent such incidents in future, he said.
The management of SBL Energy Limited, which was shut after Sunday's blast, has agreed to continue paying salaries of all its employees till the company starts its operation again, Bawankule said.
Skill development training will be imparted to unskilled workers and only those certified will be allowed to work when the company restarts operations, he said.
The collector will also conduct an inspection and review of skilled and unskilled labourers in the small, medium and large industries in Nagpur district, the minister said.
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DJ Black Coffee's event in Goa cancelled after NOC revoked on Good Friday
Panaji (PTI): The Goa leg of Grammy-winning South African DJ Black Coffee's India tour was cancelled at the last minute on Friday evening after authorities revoked the event's No Objection Certificate (NOC), a move intended to honour the solemnity of Good Friday.
Officials on Saturday cited the need to respect local sentiments and the religious significance of the day as the primary reason for withdrawing the permission previously granted to host the "Sunset-to-Night" event.
The opposition Congress demanded a probe by the Economic Offences Cell of the state against the organisers.
The revocation of permission by the Communidade of Anjuna, in whose land the event was scheduled to be hosted, followed an objection by locals and the Congress, citing the solemn occasion of Good Friday and the upcoming Easter Sunday.
Local police officials confirmed that the organisers of "Sunset to Night" have cancelled the event, leaving many revellers disappointed.
Sebastian D'Souza, an attorney of Communidade of Anjuna, in a letter addressed to organisers, stated that the NOC granted to them on March 4, 2026, to host the musical event on April 3 in survey number 206/1 of Anjuna village has been unanimously revoked by the managing committee.
D'Souza stated that the date coincides with Holy Week, particularly Good Friday.
"This has been decided in the interest of residents of Anjuna, Vagator and Chapora," the letter reads.
The Comunidade of Anjuna is a traditional, collective land-holding institution in North Goa, part of the twelve comunidades of Bardez.
A huge crowd assembled outside the venue of the programme on Friday night as the word spread about the cancellation.
Several netizens posted reels on social media claiming they were informed about the cancellation at the last minute.
Earlier, the Congress had objected to hosting such an event on the sacred occasion of Good Friday, calling it "deeply insensitive and unacceptable."
"Your event, @Paradoxindia_, in Goa on the sacred occasion of Good Friday is deeply insensitive and unacceptable. @RealBlackCoffee , this is not just about music- it is about respecting faith. By going ahead with a techno show on a day of mourning for Christians, you have hurt religious sentiments not just in Goa, but across the world," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar had written on X.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Patkar said that the state Congress would file a complaint with the Economic Offences Cell (EOC) against the organisers for allegedly selling tickets online without obtaining necessary permissions from authorities such as the Goa Pollution Control Board and the Fire and Emergency Services.
The event organisers could not be contacted immediately for their comment on the Congress leader's claim.
While at least 3,000 people had arrived in Goa to attend the event, the access road to the venue was not wide enough for Fire and Emergency Services vehicles to reach, Patkar claimed.
