Boiler was functioning sans NOC; DM for safety audit

PRAYAGRAJ : Initial probe into the March 23 blast at the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited’s (IFFCO) Phulpur unit indicates that the steam boiler was functioning sans the mandatory no objection certificate (NOC) after maintenance prompting the district administration to recommend a safety audit of the plant.

Two workers had died while 16 others were injured when the steam boiler number 4 of the plant exploded.

“An inquiry committee led by ADM (finance) has submitted its report and I am writing to the department of fertilizer recommending that a safety audit of the IFFCO plant be conducted on priority,” said district magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami.

In all, three teams that includes experts of plant management and that of district administration, are investigating the incident. A team carried out inspection on Wednesday and Thursday and questioned the engineer, employees maintaining the boiler and examined the maintenance report.

It was found that the boiler was running without a no objection certificate (NOC) after maintenance, said a top district administrative official aware of the development. Deputy director (factory) Abhay Chandra Gupta and other officials too conducted probe on Thursday.

“It seems like that the maintenance of the boiler was not up to mark and it was running without procuring NOC from the authorities concerned which is a serious offence. We would be completing our inspection and submitting our report to the administration and a complaint would be lodged at the court of the CJM,” said Gupta.

TWO WORKERS HAD DIED WHILE 16 OTHERS WERE INJURED WHEN THE STEAM BOILER NUMBER 4 OF THE PLANT EXPLODED.