Factories and boilers need monitoring: MLAs to min

Porvorim: Lawmakers on Friday said that the directorate of factories and boilers failed to ensure monitoring of the functioning of factories in the state. Speaking in the Goa assembly, MLAs called for greater transparency and accountability regarding the 168 industrial accidents and fires which have claimed 23 lives since Jan 2020.

Goa has 714 factories and 183 boilers. “Each factory must be inspected at least three times a year. We are nowhere close to that. This laxity reflects in the accident statistics,” GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai said.

The directorate claimed to have no record of the compensation paid to victims of the 168 accidents at factories. According to the data of the directorate, action was taken in only 20 industrial accidents, with eight companies fined between Rs 30,000 and Rs 2 lakh.

RG MLA Viresh Borkar brought up the issue of the fire that occurred at the Berger paint factory at Pilerne. He said that no details were released about the accident, nor was accountability fixed.

Minister for factories and boilers Nilkanth Halarnkar did not respond to these queries raised during the discussion on the demand for grants for the department.

Halarnkar did speak about the work for the Goa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Curti-Ponda, the new veterinary hospital at Mulgao, and a veterinary dispensary at Chicalim.

“A new veterinary hospital is in the process of construction at Mulgao, Bicholim, at the estimated cost of Rs 11 crore,” the minister said. “The tender process has begun, while a veterinary dispensary at Chicalim is also expected to begin this year. The PWD is expected to submit an estimate for administrative approval.”