Six Alang laborers died due to explosion or corruption?

Six laborers were killed in Alang last Tuesday, after engine room of a ship ‘M S Jesica’, said to be an oil tanker, berthed on Plot number 24 of the ship-breaking yard in which they were working, caught fire.

Of six laborers who died in fire, four were from Saurashtra’s small and sleepy Piparla village near Talaja, and two were from outside the state. Those four from Piparla are survived by 14 children, who are now extremely sad and crying.

The question is that, did the laborers really die due to fire, or due to corruption?

Just before three years, a vessel China Sea Discovery’s engine room also had caught fire in which five laborers were burnt alive.

Sources told GujaratMoney that according to Supreme Court guideline, it is mandatory to obtain clearances from various authorities like Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Explosive department and Custom and Excise departments before cutting or dismantling the vessel. These departments have to carry out inspection process, when the ship is in deep water. Only after all clearances are obtained, the ship can enter the yard.

According to sources, this process is not followed properly. There are agents working for each department who can manage a clearance in exchange of money. Charge for Pollution clearance certificate is around Rs 1 lakh, while explosive clearance can be availed in exchange of Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh. If a shipbreaker is ready to pay, he gets clearance certificates on table, without any proper inspection.

When any ship comes to breaking process without proper inspection, there are chances of explosion, pollution and breach of safety of the laborers.

It is necessary for authority to check, whether this week’s incident in which six laborers died, was result of lethargy and corruption of explosive and pollution department or not?