Nagpur explosives factory blast: 1 more person dies; toll rises to 9
Nagpur, (PTI): The death toll in the blast at an explosives factory in Maharashtra's Nagpur district has gone up to nine with the last surviving person succumbing to his injuries, officials said on Sunday.
Pramod Chavare died of his burn injuries at a private medical facility here on Saturday night, Dande Hospital's director Dr Pinak Dande told PTI.
The blast took place at around 1 pm on Thursday at the Chamundi Explosives Pvt Ltd in Dhamna village under Hingna police station limits, around 25 km from the city.
Nine injured persons were subsequently admitted to two private hospitals in the city. While six of them died during treatment on Thursday, three others succumbed over the last two days.
The deceased included six women.
Most of the victims were working in the factory's packaging unit when the explosion took place, according to police.
The police on Friday arrested Jay Shivshankar Khemka (49), the factory's director of the factory, and manager Sagar Deshmukh. They were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Hingna, who granted them cash bail of Rs 50,000 each on Friday.
A case has been registered against the two accused under Indian Penal Code sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 304 (a) (causing the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing any rash or negligent act), police earlier said.
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Cong slams Modi govt as 'anti-worker', calls for review of new Labour code
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday accused the Modi government of being "anti-worker" and demanded that the new labour code be reviewed, MGNREGA be revived as well as a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day be established.
On International Labour Day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at the government and said unemployment in India today is a direct consequence of the 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' policies.
"Driven by the 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' policy, the Modi government implemented an anti-worker Labour Code. As a result, unrest has erupted everywhere - be it in Noida, at the IOCL facility in Panipat, Adani's factory in Raikheda, NTPC Patratu, or the Samsung factory in Sriperumbudur," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
Instead of ensuring job security, this Code promotes policies such as contract labour and 'Hire & Fire' practices, Kharge said and called for a review of the new Labour Code.
The Modi government has effectively dismantled MGNREGA by forcibly pushing legislation through Parliament, he alleged.
"Mr. Modi has shifted 40% of the wage burden onto the State governments. State governments are unable to bear this financial strain and will eventually be forced to stop providing work," he claimed.
The Modi government has compelled workers into a state of unemployment and pushed them towards 'gig work', Kharge said.
Currently, 69% of the workforce is working for wages below the statutory minimum wage, he said.
The Modi government has engineered a crisis of stagnant wages, Kharge alleged.
"When adjusted for inflation, the wages of the majority of India's workers have grown by less than 1% annually over the last decade (from 2014-15 to 2022-23)," he said.
The Modi government has created a massive unemployment crisis among the educated workforce, specifically, among graduates, Kharge claimed and added that jobs have been eliminated through the sale of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
"The government has refused to fill approximately 30 lakh vacant government positions. Furthermore, the government's policy blunders have led to the decimation of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)," the Congress chief said.
The Congress reiterates its five demands for India's workers including revival of MGNREGA and its expansion to urban areas, Kharge said.
He said a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day should be established, with MNREGA included within its scope.
Kharged demanded that a 'Right to Health' law must be enacted, providing Universal Health Coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh for laborers and workers.
"'Life Insurance and Accident Insurance' coverage must be provided for all unorganized workers. Preventing the contractualization of employment must be made a core priority of the government, and the new Labour Codes must be reviewed," Kharge asserted.
