MARGAO
Industrial accidents are, unfortunately, not new to Cuncolim. Over the years, several lives have been lost in incidents at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate ” from explosions to ammonia gas leaks.
Each tragedy raises serious questions about safety standards and labour compliance, and each time, authorities respond with familiar assurances that the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers will investigate the cause of the incident.
The fire and explosion that occurred on March 20, 2025, at the Naqueri-Betul plateau once again highlighted glaring lapses in safety management. A warehouse belonging to M/s Hughes Precision Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., which was storing propellant material, was engulfed in flames.
Although it was fortunate that there was no loss of life or significant property damage when the propellant exploded and sent a fireball into the sky, the incident exposed deep systemic failures. It underscored a disturbing reality ” that units handling explosives and other inflammable materials continue to neglect essential safety norms and mandatory regulatory guidelines.
Similarly, the recent incident at Vijai Marine Services, Loutolim, which claimed the lives of five workers in a blast or flash fire, has once again raised questions about worker safety. The victims sustained extensive and critical burn injuries.
While the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers is currently investigating the exact cause of the deaths, it is already evident that the workers lacked adequate safety gear or protective measures against fires and other workplace hazards.
Explosion at Naqueri
Written submissions by the Quepem Deputy Collector before the Quepem Court reveal several serious violations documented by the official inspection team at the Hughes Precision propellant warehouse at Naqueri.
Officials found that although Magazine No. 1 had exploded and been engulfed by fire, the facility was also storing approximately 11,000 kg of gunpowder (propellant) in Magazine No. 2 ” without obtaining the necessary prior approval from PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation). The Deputy Collector noted that storing such a highly combustible substance without authorisation posed an extreme safety risk, as gunpowder is highly volatile and can easily ignite under improper storage conditions.
Furthermore, the Deputy Collector’s submission further pointed out that the company had failed to obtain a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) under the Explosives Rules before storing the material in Magazine No. 2. The absence of a valid NOC constituted a clear violation of safety protocols governing the storage, handling, and transportation of hazardous materials.
In addition, the team observed that the company had not secured a construction licence from the Betul-Naqueri Village Panchayat, nor had it obtained a conversion sanad, both of which are mandatory before undertaking industrial construction.
Another major lapse identified by authorities was the complete absence of a Disaster Management Plan (DMP) ” a statutory requirement for any industry dealing with hazardous or explosive substances.
Workers staying illegally in factories face grave risks
The dangers faced by industrial workers were starkly evident in the October 9, 2020, incident at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, where a 22-year-old worker from Uttar Pradesh lost his life following an ammonia gas leak. The victim had been residing in tented accommodation within the premises of an adjoining industrial unit.
That tragedy was expected to serve as a wake-up call for authorities. Yet, five years later, the illegal and unsafe practice of housing workers within factory premises continues unchecked. Across Cuncolim and other industrial estates, hundreds ” if not thousands ” of labourers continue to live inside factory compounds in blatant violation of labour laws and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) guidelines.
This persistent disregard for safety, compliance, and human welfare highlights an urgent need for strict enforcement, regular inspections, and accountability ” before another preventable tragedy strikes.
Recent factory accidents
November 28, 2018: Five workers of R R Steel Rolling Ltd sustained burn injuries after molten metal erupted from the furnace at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate on Friday noon.
The injured workers, four from Bihar and one from Uttar Pradesh, were immediately shifted to a private hospital at Margao by the management, even as the explosion caused damage to the furnace and the adjoining structure.
July 15, 2013: Tragedy struck two young labourers from Delhi when they came crashing down and died while erecting a shed at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. The two deceased fell when the fabricated part of the shed they were working on came down due to strong winds at the industrial unit.
October 9, 2020: An ammonia gas leak killed a 22-year-old worker from Uttar Pradesh, besides injuring four workers. The deceased and the injured were not employees of the ill-fated industrial unit where the ammonia gas leakage took place, but were all sleeping in makeshift tin sheet accommodation in an adjoining industrial plot.
October 20, 2020: A 35-year-old native of Madhya Pradesh, Yogesh Rajkumar Sharma, was found dead in a steel factory around noon after he was trapped in machinery undergoing maintenance.
