Six Industries in Raigarh Fined Over ₹10 Lakh for Safety Violations After Labour Court Hearing

According to officials, repeated incidents at factories in Raigarh have resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries to workers over the past months. In response, the department conducted detailed inspections across several units, documenting shortcomings in safety equipment, procedures, and statutory safeguards. Based on these findings, separate cases were filed before the Labour Court.

After hearing the matters, the court imposed cumulative fines of ₹10.52 lakh on the defaulting industries and their responsible officials.

Among the penalised units is M/s Jindal Steel and Power Limited’s 1 MTPA Slag Grinding Unit. The court found violations of provisions of the Factories Act and fined the occupier, Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay, and factory manager Amresh Pandey ₹1.50 lakh each.

M/s Nalwa Special Steel Limited was also penalised for neglecting prescribed safety measures. The court imposed a fine of ₹1.40 lakh each on the occupier, Sardar Singh Rathi, and factory manager Ravindra Singh Chauhan.

M/s Singhal Steel and Power Limited faced penalties in two separate cases. For violations under the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, operator Vinay Kumar Sharma and contractor Ajay Kumar Das were fined ₹6,000 each. In another case under the Factories Act, the occupier Vinay Kumar Sharma and factory manager G.K. Mishra were collectively fined ₹2.80 lakh.

Action was also taken against M/s NRVS Steels Limited at village Toraimal, where occupier and factory manager Pawan Agrawal was fined ₹1.60 lakh. Similarly, M/s NR Ispat and Power Private Limited was penalised ₹1.60 lakh, with the fine imposed on occupier and factory manager Mohit Kumar Mishra.

The action gains significance in light of a recent furnace blast at the NRVS plant, which claimed the life of a worker and intensified scrutiny of industrial safety practices in the district.

Officials from the Industrial Health and Safety Department said the penalties are intended to act as a deterrent and ensure stricter adherence to safety regulations. They added that inspections will continue and further legal action will be initiated against units found violating norms.