5 charred to death as bio digester explodes in Manas plant

Nagpur: Five labourers were charred to death after a bio digester exploded at the Manas Agro Industries and Infrastructure Limited, the erstwhile Purti Power and Sugar Limited, at Bela village, around 50km from the city. Sugar and ethanol is manufactured at the unit.
All five deceased were on atop the bio digester which is a 60 feet structure. They were thrown in the air for at least 15 feet after the explosion. Three of them landed on the tank while the other two fell on the ground.
The explosion occurred around 2.15pm reportedly due to welding sparks that came in contact with gases present in the bio digester.
The deceased have been identified as Mangesh Naukarkar (21), Liladhar Shende (42), Wasudeo Ladi (30), Sachin Waghmare (24) and Praful Moon (25). All were residents of Wadgaon and Salai villages located near Bela. They were trying to weld cracks on the bio digester. The bodies were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital here for post-mortem in the evening.
As per information available from police, district administration and Umred MLA Raju Parwe, the company had assigned Nashik-based SP Engineers for maintenance of the bio digester. The agency had engaged a private contractor of Wadgaon which is near Bela.
Union minister for road transport and highways and city MP Nitin Gadkari had founded Purti company and constructed the plant in 2000. Though he is not part of the company, a member of his family is a wholetime director.
Immediately after the incident, family members of the deceased and villagers from Wadgaon, Salai and Bela gathered at the plant and started protesting. Slogans were raised accusing the company for the death of five labourers. Parwe also reached the spot.
Nagpur Rural SP Rakesh Ola said, “Police are invoking charges of causing death due to negligence under section 304 (A) of the IPC against the companies who were entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the tanks. An FIR will be filed at Bela police station.”
Umred tehsildar Pramod Kadam said that the industrial safety officer, labour commissioner, sugar commissioner and his department would investigate the incident.
Parwe told TOI that Manas company has announced compensation of Rs15 lakh and employment to the nearest kin of the deceased. “The situation was getting out of hand. The protesters had to be calmed down, else there would have been a law and order problem,” he said.
Claiming that it was negligence that resulted in the accident, Parwe demanded a “proper enquiry”. “Only one of the five had welding experience to work on a bio digester. Another had joined work only today,” said Parwe.
Sources from Bela said work was on without any safety measures in place. “Combustible gas was present in the bio digester and yet welding work was being done. Also, the labourers were not wearing any safety gears,” they said.
Bela police brought in reinforcement to tackle the protesters. They managed with great difficulty, said sources.
Nitin Kulkarni, PRO of Manas company, said, “It was a very unfortunate incident. The company will extend all necessary help to the families of deceased. The labourers of a private agency were engaged for the work. Our officials rushed to the spot immediately on learning about the incident. They gave a detailed information to police who would be inquiring into the incident.”