KOCHI: A day after a blaze at a factory producing industrial lubricating oil in Edayar that left a migrant worker dead and three others injured, residents and employees on Friday staged a protest demanding better compensation for the family of the deceased and improved safety measures.
The fire claimed the life of Sathrugnan Mukhia, a Bihar native who had worked at the company for nearly 26 years.
Earlier on Friday, a meeting chaired by district collector G Priyanka directed the company management to provide an immediate financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the deceased worker’s next of kin. “The management should bear the educational expenses of his children and offer employment to his wife, if she is willing. In addition, steps will be taken to ensure that the family receives all benefits and compensation as per law,” Priyanka said.
However, residents staged a protest demanding Rs 25 lakh in compensation. “The family lives in a rented house. Sathrugnan has three children. He was the only breadwinner of the family,” said Mahesh Kumar, an activist.
Police have been directed to investigate if there were lapses on the part of the company. On the face of it, there appears to have been negligence from the company’s end, the collector said.
Priyanka also directed departments concerned to conduct joint inspections at similar units across the district within the next 10 days.