KOLLAM: The preliminary report submitted by the Chief Controller of Explosives of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) points at blatant violation of the Explosives Rules that led to the Puttingal Temple tragedy. The report points out that the committee as well as the authorities concerned had shown scant regard to the safety measures enlisted under the Explosives Rules 2008.
On the basis of the report, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitaraman may send a team from the Ministry to study the tragedy, PESO sources said. A decision in this regard is likely within two days. PESO is reportedly irked by the procedure by which permission for usage of potassium chlorate is given by District Collectors and also the mushrooming of fireworks making units at local level.
“As per rules, usage of potassium chlorate is banned in fireworks. But the massive explosion clearly indicates that the explosives used for the fireworks display had traces of the banned chemical. Usually, the District Collectors give permission to use potassium chlorate for the matchbox industry. If you take make an audit of the industry and the quantity of potassium chlorate allocated, it would prove foul play. Local fireworks manufacturing units are thriving in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts under the guise of matchbox industry,” said a PESO official. Meanwhile, R Venugopal, Deputy Controller of Explosives, Hyderabad, who is part of a five-member team assisting the district administration in its probe, said that a clampdown on local fireworks manufacturing units is not an easy affair.
Norms Flouted
➤PESO Chief Controller irked by procedure of permission
➤ Scant regard given to safety steps
➤Central team may visit state
Explosives being Defused
Kollam: Experts from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) have started defusing the firecrackers found loaded in three cars near the Sarkara Devi Temple, Kurumandal, which is close to the Puttingal Devi Temple. According to officials with PESO, those items which fall under the ‘very dangerous’ category has been defused and the other firecrackers will have to be carried to a nearby quarry for neutralising them. Activities in this regard will be carried out on Wednesday.