Raipur, Oct 24 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh government Friday said it favoured a probe into the quality of all chimneys constructed or under-construction at factories to prevent any industrial tragedy. The move comes in the wake of the death of 45 workers at Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) at Korba town due to a chimney crash.
The decision to probe the construction quality of chimneys was taken at a meeting chaired by Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar. On Sep 23, an under-construction chimney caved in at Korba town, some 250 km north of capital Raipur, crushing 45 workers underneath. The state government ordered a judicial probe into the tragedy.

The collapsed chimney had belonged to the Vedanta Resources Plc-controlled Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) in which the central government holds 49 percent stake.

“Kanwar held a meeting with representatives of industrial houses and district authorities and asked them to probe the construction quality of chimneys and submit a report to him,” a government statement said.

He had strongly advised them that industries in the private and public sector need to focus on workers safety and environment norms.