Refuting the news of alleged shut down of Iffco plant in Paradip as reported in some sections of media, Director Cooperative Relations, IFFCO Dr G N Saxena said that it was all rubbish as the district administration has appreciated steps taken by the IFFCO management to tackle the situation arising out of the silo collapse.
The local Administration, on its part, has been very cooperative, he added.
Readers may recall that more than a dozen workers were injured when a large silo of the Iffco fertilizer plant collapsed on Monday in Paradip.
As IFFCO has its own hospital, it could in no time press the entire apparatus of the company into action helping the victims. It is a matter of satisfaction that all the injured are safe and there was no loss of life, Dr Saxena added.
The impact of the accident was much less on account of Monday being the Shivratri day when most of the workers were away.
Even if this is prima facie a case of corrosion of an old structure due to its proximity to the sea, Director Technical K L Singh has gone to Paradip to find out the actual cause of the collapse. Managing Director of IFFCO, Dr U S Awasthi is already there, Director Cooperative Relation said.
To a question if heads would roll in the wake of the accident Dr G N Saxena said “it happens sometimes; nobody is responsible, whom should we punish. The workers were on a contract yet we are doing everything possible. They would be paid for the period they are being treated in the hospital, he said. And the greatest relief is all of them are safe.”